How The Cold And Snow Can Harm Flat Roofs

Daniel Bracewell • 12 December 2023

According to the Met Office, winter officially begins on December 1st, but late November has already brought the most wintry of conditions, especially across the northern half of Britain.

That means many households in Stockport with flat roofs could soon be noticing some damage caused by the frigid conditions, which will require repairs as soon as possible.

There are various ways in which snow and ice can damage a flat roof. The most obvious of these is if you have any small cracks to start with. Because water expands as it gets near to freezing point and below, any moisture that freezes will prise these open wider. That will make your roof increasingly prone to leaks, especially when lots of snow and ice on it thaw.

Similarly, flashing and gutters can also be damaged by ice dams, which form when ice starts to melt but then re-freezes as temperatures drop again.

A further problem can occur when there is a lot of snow, as the sheer weight of this can bear down on the roof and cause it to sag, weakening the structure and pressing it out of shape.

Of course, there are steps you can take to ease the problem. If you can get up to the roof and clear heavy snow off it, that can help to get the weight off. In addition, you can put salt or grit on the roof to melt the snow and ice so it cannot cause damage through the freeze-thaw process.

However, even with a lot of effort, you may find you suffer some damage to your roof. If you do, it is important to get this fixed as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the sunny days of spring arrive, because by then the damage could have got far worse. Instead, act fast and

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.