3 Types of Flat Roofs for Your Home
Many neighborhoods in Kansas City are filled with houses that have traditional-style roofs. Most commonly, we see gable roofs, but occasionally, we find hip and gambrel roofs mixed in, especially in some of the older neighborhoods. Homeowners are now discovering the beauty and functionality of flat roofs, and local residential roof contractors are getting more questions about the types of flat roofs that are suitable for residential neighborhoods.
If you’re curious too, you can always call your favorite roofer in Kansas City. Or, to make it easy for you, we’ve compiled a short list here of different types of flat roofs that work in residential neighborhoods. Read on to learn more.
3 Types of Flat Roofs for Homes
While flat roofs are commonly found on office buildings across the country, it’s not as common to see them in residential neighborhoods. This means that homeowners don’t know as much about them. Here are three of the most popular types of flat roofs. Any of the three would work well on your next home.
BUR (Built-Up Roof)
This is what most people think of when they think of a flat roof. It’s made of hot tar and gravel. Three or more layers of waterproof material are put down, alternating with layers of hot asphalt. This is all covered with smooth river rocks that serve as ballast. The waterproof material used to be made of tar paper, but today’s waterproof membranes are made of high-tech fiberglass. The river stones hold the roof in place, but also serve a couple other purposes; they help reflect the sun’s UV rays off the roof and increase fire resistance.
A BUR roof works well on low-slope homes such as those found in residential neighborhoods. These roofs tend to be quite heavy – and smelly during the installation phase – but they’re also very affordable.
Modified Bitumen Roof
A modified bitumen roof is created by rolling out a layer of single-ply waterproof material impregnated with a mineral-based surface. Some residential roof contractors use heat to apply the roofing material, while others prefer the newer peel-and-stick systems, which tend to be safer and easier to install. The your roofing companies in Kansas City can install either one.
A modified bitumen roof is less messy to install than a BUR roof. It’s also lighter weight. It’s very durable and quite puncture-resistant, making it an excellent choice for the Midwest; hail is not as likely to damage it. Also, the light-colored mineral surface is highly UV-resistant and helps keep the home cooler inside.
Rubber Membrane Roof
Rubber membrane roofs are also called EPDM roofs (short for ethylene propylene diene monomer). This rubber roof is made of a material that looks a little like an inner tube but which is engineered to be much tougher. It weathers well and is highly reflective. An EPDM roof is easy for qualified residential roof contractors to install and is one of the most popular roofs used on commercial properties.
Shamrock Roofing and Construction Has You Covered
Regardless of the type of roof you have on your home, Shamrock Roofing and Construction has it covered. We service and install all types of roofs for both residential and commercial properties throughout the Kansas City metro area. If you need a roofer in Kansas City to answer your roofing questions, give us a call. And if you’re considering installing a flat roof on your home, contact us first for more information.