The challenge in maintaining your fibreglass roof is that you can’t see it every day, like your back garden or your cooker, so you almost forget it needs attention until something goes wrong, like water damage. The other challenge is that a lot of aren’t familiar with the maintenance involved.
At Nationwide Fibreglass, we’ve developed a comprehensive guide to maintain your fibreglass roof.
Let’s take a look at how we can maximise the lifespan of your fibreglass flat roof. There are 4 important steps:
- Check in every 6 months
Check your fibreglass roof twice a year, make notes of any effects of seasonal change and damage. Set reminders to check back in and specific things you will look for based on your last check. Look for issues and look out for what needs repaired. - Remove the debris
Mould, dirt, leaves, twigs, branches, you name it, all this stuff will gather on any roof regardless of the season. Make sure you clear this out, check for pooling and clean out your gutters, especially after rainfall. - Surrounding foliage
If your property is class to trees, there’s a higher chance of debris falling onto your roof. If you can, keep the trees near your property trimmed and well groomed to avoid a build up of leaves and twigs on your fibreglass flat roof. - Internal checks
Keep an eye on the inside of your home too. Check your ceiling for rising moisture and the spread of damp. Check for water damage that may have come from the outside.
Materials
The good news is, you don’t have to invest a lot of money in the right tools to keep your roof clean and in tip top condition. Your most basic requirement is a sweeping brush, which will enable you to remove excess dirt and debris from the surface of your fibreglass flat roof. As well as this, you could use a hand brush – these are basic items you’ll have in your home. Take caution when accessing your fibreglass roof.
Another inexpensive piece of equipment is a pressure washer, this is a very effective way to clean a fibreglass flat roof. With no chemicals involved in this method, it’s an environmentally friendly option too. The pressure washer will help remove algae and moss which cannot be easily removed with a brush.
The final option is chlorine solution wash, this is one of the faster solutions and it leaves behind much less water and tear due to it being a much shorter process. However, you must consider the chemicals contained in the solution which can be toxic for people, plants and animals.
Common issues with fibreglass flat roofs
While every building and surface is different, there are some common issues that you can expect to experience with your fibreglass flat roof. Find these issues outlined below.
- Standing Water
Whilst fibreglass roofs are referred to as “flat roofs”, this is not the case. Most fibreglass flat roofs should experience a mild incline as a strategic plan to reduce rainwater capture and pooling. - Shrinkage
EPDM is used as the protective membrane coating on the outer coating for the roof and while there are many advantages to using this material, it can suffer from shrinkage which will usually occur around the edges. If or when this happens, the seams will begin to loosen and can affect the layer beneath it. Repairs will be straightforward if the shrinkage is minimal, but if this isn’t the case, it can become a costly job to repair. - Blistering
Trapped moisture between the roof and membrane can lead to blistering. Blistering is more likely to occur to your fibreglass flat roof in hotter environments or seasons because the moisture has more opportunity to expand. Your contractor will be able to see to blistering as a relatively straight forward task. If your blistering starts to crack then you leave your roof exposed and this can cause further issues. - HVAC Damage
Air conditioning units can cause problems for flat roofs. Ensure your air conditioning units are installed properly from the offset.
Please know that if these issues are left untreated, they can prove to be extremely costly.
If you need to patch and repair your fibreglass flat roof, you’ll need to consider which products are best for the job. If this the job of your contractor, then they will deal with the issue, if you need a quick fix or a temporary solution, here are two great products that will help you out:
FIX-Rcryl Waterproof Repair Solution – this can be easily painted to fill the gaps and cracks in on your fibreglass roof.
Acrypol Plus – this acrylic-based waterproof paint is used to repair or refurbish leaking roofs. This is most commonly used for fibreglass roofing so it’s the perfect choice. Acrypol Plus can also be used for temporary EPDM repairs.
Fibreglass roofing is extremely durable and has a high level of resistance to damage. Depending on your environment, maintenance and local area will play a role in how long it will be before you need to repair and replace. Even when repairs are required, they can be done quickly without leaving behind noticeable marks. CrysticROOF GRP Resin is used in conjunction with CrysticROOF GRP Topcoat to produce a clean and smooth finish, this can come with up with 25 years guarantee and, in some cases, has been known to last longer.
If you want to find out more get in touch, [email protected].