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Flat Roofing: What Is a Low Slope Roof? | Wilson Brothers Roofing
Low Slope Roof: Everything You Need to Know About Flat Roofing
Flat roof systems are seen all over America’s towns and suburbs. Though typically used for commercial buildings, flat roofing can be applied to apartments, carports, sheds, and other structures that call for these types of low-slope systems. But before we dive into different types of flat roofing systems, there are a lot of industry terms we should explain, including some that have already been mentioned.
On this page, you’ll learn about pitch, flat roofs, and flat roof material types. At the end, you’ll have all of the information you need to make an informed decision about the best flat roofing material for your home or business.
To begin, let’s start with the basics of roof pitch before getting into the details about low slope roofing. Let’s get started!
What Is Pitch?
Roof pitch is an industry term for the measurement of a roof’s slope. To calculate a roof pitch, you can do a simple rise over run equation. However, to get the most accurate measurements, it’s important to contact a roofing professional. Roof pitch measurements need to be exact for the correct roofing material to be installed.
Measuring Pitch
Roof pitch is stated as a fraction. It is the number of inches your roof slopes for every foot of your roof (12 inches). If your home’s roof has a 7/12 pitch, that means that your roof rises seven inches for every 12 inches of width.
For a better understanding of pitches, picture a right triangle (with one corner being a 90-degree angle). The horizontal line is always a measurement of 12, representing 12 inches or one foot. The diagonal line is your roof. The vertical line of the triangle is the measurement of height. The vertical line is the rise, or top number of the pitch measurement. The horizontal line is the run, or denominator of the pitch measurement.
Again, it’s important to talk to a professional roofer about measuring pitch. Measuring pitch yourself can get you an estimate, but for accuracy, a roofer should perform a pitch measurement during a roof inspection. This way, we can better help in choosing between different types of flat roof materials.
What Is Flat Roofing?
Every roof has a pitch, which makes the term “flat roofing” a bit confusing. Even flat roofs need to have a slope to allow rain and snowfall to drain.
However, flat roofing, or low pitch roofing, is as close to flat as you can get. A flat roof has a roof pitch between 0.25/12 to 0.5/12. In other words, the rise is between ¼” to ½” for every 12 inches of width. A low slope roof can be an umbrella term for flat roofing and can have a pitch up to 3/12, which is still fairly flat.
Flat Roofing Structures and Placements
It’s most common to see flat roof systems on commercial buildings, such as shops, apartment complexes, hotels, and restaurants.
Flat roofing is not limited to commercial buildings, though. Many adobe style residences have flat roofs, as do other home structures like carports, detached garages, sheds, patios, RVs, and mobile homes.
For residential structures, it’s common to find flat roof systems in climates with little precipitation and dry heat.
Flat Roofing Types
Because of their nature, flat roofs usually don’t have the fancier, more aesthetically-designed features that medium or high pitch roofing materials provide. Roofs with higher slants allow for more street-level visibility. Many people whose homes have that visibility want to pick out roofing material with “curb appeal,” or purchase roofs that correlate with the architectural design of the house.
Flat roofs are not like this, although low pitch roofs at 2/12 or 3/12 pitch can have some visibility from the street. Since flat roofs are not seen from the street, their design is pushed to the side and practicality takes center stage.
Because flat roofs have such a low pitch, their material needs to have the capacity to hold more water than medium to high pitch roofing systems. That is not to say that our products are not water resistant. Rather, different material is used for different roof pitches due to their ability to handle water and snow runoff, among other qualifications.
Wilson Brothers Roofing provides trustworthy, high-quality products no matter what your roof slope is. A flat or low pitch roof simply needs a different type of roofing material to have the capacity to resist water buildup.
Let’s go over the different types of flat roofs and each flat roof pros and cons to better understand these flat roof systems.
Membrane
Membrane flat roof material types are a great option for flat roofing. There are many types of membrane flat roof systems, most coming in sheets that are rolled onto your roof. The membranes are water resistant and typically very energy efficient due to their UV reflectivity.
TPO Roofing
TPO roofing, or thermoplastic polyolefin roofing, is a single-ply membrane that is applied to your flat roof in layers. TPO is made up of rubber and synthetic materials. Since TPO is usually white, it has high reflectivity, meaning UV rays easily bounce off. This is great for energy efficiency, as your home and business will stay cooler on hot, sunny days.
One of the only cons is that TPO roofing is one of the most expensive flat roof types on the market. Additionally, you will want to pay the hefty prices because many cheaper TPO brands sell less-than-adequate materials. Wilson Brothers Roofing only uses TPO roofing that we have checked and trust!
Hot Mop Roofing
Hot mop roofing is one of the best flat roofing materials around. Hot mop roofing starts as hot liquid which is then applied in layers to your roof. Between layers, felt or fiberglass is laid down to strengthen your roof.
Hot mop roofing has a lifespan between 15-20 years and is highly economical. However, the application process can be dangerous. As stated above, hot mop roofing starts as liquid; the process of getting the material to the roof to apply it can be dangerous in and of itself. Hot mop roofing should always be applied by a knowledgeable professional.
Silicon Roofing
Silicon roofing is a coating that you can place on your flat roof system that is great for waterproofing all flat roofing types. Applied by rollers or brushes, silicone roof coatings protect your home or building from the elements. It can also maximize your roof’s lifespan!
Built-Up Roofing
Built-up roofing, or BUR, is composed of layers of bitumen and other fabric materials. The layering of this flat roofing system insulates your structure and protects it from elements that can tear through layers. Built-up roofing is most commonly seen on commercial buildings.
Durability is BUR’s main asset. However, the installation is intense and strenuous, involving hazardous fumes and long hours of layering the materials.
Modified Bitumen
Modified bitumen roofing, also known as MBR, is an asphalt-based flat roofing material consisting of asphalt and rubber or plastic. MBR usually comes in rolls that are then installed onto your roof, although adhesive strips of MBR are also available. MBR is a lighter-weight alternative to BUR.
MBR is relatively simple to install and requires little maintenance. Since it’s asphalt, most MBR materials can be recycled. Although it’s usually easy to install, MBR needs to be applied with an open flame, so proceed with caution. It’s always best to hire a professional to apply this style of flat roofing material.
MBR has lots of advantages, but it also has its downfalls. Though it is low maintenance, the material is relatively fragile. Walking on the roof or impacts from fallen debris can cause MBR to tear.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofs can be applied to almost all roof pitches. Their versatility is incredible, not to mention they are sustainably made from recycled materials, energy efficient, and extremely durable. Wilson Brothers Roofing offers both commercial and residential roofing services to install metal roofing systems for either high, medium, or low slope roofing.
Low slope metal roofing is typically called standing seam metal roofing. The metal panels lock together at the seams. When metal heats, the Lego-like attachment method allows for expanding and contracting on those hot California days, which is completely safe for your home. An alternative is screw-down panels that are screwed into the underlayment of your roof.
Talk to Wilson Brothers Roofing About Your Flat Roofing Needs
The roofing professionals at Wilson Brothers Roofing have been working hard in Kern County for 40 years to bring you the best installation and materials. We can walk you through low slope roof options for your home or business, providing residential or commercial roofings services.
If you have any questions about your flat roof or options for low slope roof systems, call us at (661) 589-4297 or fill out an online form today! We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you have about your flat roofing needs.