Flat Roofing In The Rain

If high winds are the cause of roof damage always wait until the winds subside before doing any work.

Flat roofing in the rain. By the time you have noticed your flat roof may be beyond repair. One of the first things we do during inclement weather is to make sure extra safety precautions are taken at the job site. You might be surprised to find that the answer is yes. But it is possible to.

So back to the question of whether your roof can be worked on when it is raining. Rain can also pool in any sagging flat roofing membrane adding undue weight to your roof s structure until the membrane is unable to cope with the load and splits. Safety is always a primary consideration for roofers and roofing in the rain requires caution. Remove debris remove all debris from the surface of your roof and inspect to see if you have shingle damage flexible roof sealant apply flexible roof sealant from a can or tube to exposed nail heads holes gaps and loose.

If it starts to rain or drizzle the roofers should act quickly to cover your osb most likely with a tarp. But if you don t address the issues as soon as possible the damage will continue to grow. Specific guidelines are set for how shingles and materials should be installed so the manufacturer is not liable for damage that results from faulty workmanship. Shingles will not stick to a wet roof.

The slope should be a minimum of 1 in 80 but in practice a minimum slope of 1 to 40 should be used to allow for deflection of the roof and for normal building tolerances. High winds and heavy rain can damage a flat roof or cause it to leak. One of the roofing pros we spoke with says mist won t affect osb any more than the humidity that osb absorbs on a hot day. The biggest issue is that it can be almost impossible to spot any problems until significant damage has been done.

For clarity flat roofs actually have a slight slope to allow rain water to drain off the roof but they seem flat when compared with more traditional steeply sloped roofs. If damaged shingles or underlayment are allowing rain to seep into the attic or walls it could cause mold mildew and other damage. Roofing in the rain not only means you or your roofing experts will be extremely wet uncomfortable and exposed to more risk but it also means that your new roof could have less integrity than if it were installed in dry conditions. Installing a roof in the rain may void your warranty roofing manufacturers guarantee their products but not the installation.

Be wary of a roofing contractor who promises to install a new roof regardless of the weather. A roof repair or even replacement can be done when it is raining.