Why Is A Flat Roof Slightly Sloped?
Daniel Bracewell • 18 January 2021
Flat roofs are an efficient, effective and attractive roofing solution, allowing for an extra living and dining space on top of your home. However, did you know that no flat roof in the UK is entirely flat?
Despite looking and indeed feeling like there is no incline, every flat roof in the UK has a tiny incline, as that is a legal requirement according to UK building regulations.
According to Approved Document Part H, the part of the building regulations that covers drainage on roofs, a roof must have an incline of 1 in 80. So for every 80cm of the roof surface, there must be a 1cm incline.
The reason for this is to ensure that rainwater effectively drains off the roof. Typically this comes from water rolling into a gutter on the side of the house, or in some cases from central drains that take water through the building itself.
Water that does not drain effectively can pool on the roof, which can cause several problems. If the roof is not adequately waterproofed, it can seep into cracks in the roof surface and cause leaks.
As well as this, in cases of severe rainfall, water can pool in large quantities, which can cause strain of the roof and potential structural damage if it cannot drain water away in any other way.
Drainage, even at such a tiny incline can help prevent this entirely, as can adequate waterproofing and sealing, and ensuring work is undertaken by flat roof specialists.
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.
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