Properly maintained gutters are a must for flat roofs. Gutters play an essential role in traditional roofs, directing water down and away from the structure. That role becomes even more crucial for flat roofs. Since flat roofs tend not to be angled, water can pool, leading to leaking, costly repairs, and unnecessary frustration. Keep your flat roof in optimal shape with yearly inspections and preventative maintenance from the highest-rated roofers in Santa Fe, Fix My Roof. Our roofing experts can help identify roof and gutter issues before they become a problem.
Flat Roofs: Additional Convenience with a Couple Caveats
Flat roofs have some notable convenience over their angled counterparts. Seasonal tasks and responsibilities like cleaning, accessing the chimney, adjusting the satellite, and maintenance are made more accessible by the horizontal surface of the roof—no heart-pounding moments of scaling steep, slanted rooftops, just level footing. However, there are a couple of caveats all flat-roof residents should know about.
The first is that debris can more easily land on flat roofs and block drainage paths—including gutters. To be sure, it’s recommended that flat roofs be examined for debris and branches after even mild rainstorms. Of course, flat roofs that are completely out of the range of trees don’t need to be checked after every storm; an occasional verification will suffice.
The second is that a flat roof gutter system can easily become backed up, and back-ups can quickly lead to pooled water and damage. After periods of substantial rainfall, flat roofs are susceptible to standing water; flat roofs collect more rainwater than angled roofs. When a gutter becomes blocked, this water naturally starts to pool. If there is any damage to the roof, pooled water can find its way into your home, causing further damage. A roofing expert should inspect areas that experience regular pooling to determine the best way to remedy the situation.
Additionally, pooled water can lead to difficulties in the winter months. The water can freeze and unfreeze with the fluctuating temperatures causing damage to the roofing material. When winter ice begins to melt, the ice on the roof, which is exposed to the sun, will melt before the ice in the gutters, causing backup issues.
We recommend that residents of flat-roof homes take a few moments to check for debris following storms. Clearing any gutters and downspouts of any debris—once per week is advisable during the warm months. When cold weather turns to spring, remove ice blocks and any other snowy obstructions from the gutter.
Other Gutter Maintenance Tips
For additional peace of mind and convenience, flat-roof residents should verify that their gutters are angled downward, keep nearby tree branches trimmed and away from the roof, and replace used gutter segments that are particularly bent and worn once every five or so seasons.
Schedule Your Next Inspection
A little bit of effort and attentiveness goes a long way towards ensuring the smooth operation of your roof’s gutter systems. Keep proactive with regularly scheduled inspections and routine maintenance of your flat roof. If you are experiencing issues with your roof or your roof has sustained damage, Santa Fe’s roofing experts, Fix My Roof, can help. Give us a call today to schedule your next inspection!