Is your insurer requesting a flat roof inspection?
Compared to slate and tile roofs, flat roofs are a significant risk for leaks.
Before issuing building insurance, underwriters follow standard practice and often request a report for commercial or residential properties.
If you need an insurance inspection, let us know – we have a strong track record in providing fully compliant surveys, inspections and reports to comply with building insurance.
Send us an email or call us on 029 2190 0011 and we’ll get back to your regarding a suitable time and date to visit.
Flat Roof Inspections for Domestic or Commercial Properties
The majority of insurance companies request inspections of flat roofs because of their high risk of failure.
A breakdown in the roofing membrane constitutes a failure. The result could be a leak straight through down to the ceiling, but more subtle damage may not be localised at the source and could spread across the roofing membrane.
Water ingress is a slow, gradual process and can seep into underlying structural components over time, causing rot and degradation that often goes unnoticed. So when obtaining or renewing insurance for your property, we recommend inspections in advance to ascertain and where possible, rectify the problem.
Types of flat roofing inspections
Non-invasive Flat Roofing Assessments
Non-invasive flat roofing inspections utilise the latest electronic and thermal imaging technology These are particularly useful when sheeted membranes have been used and poorly installed – typically EPDM and PVC single ply, although such systems could also cover other membranes as well. They’re very effective in pinpointing the precise location of a small leak that has spread across a large area of the roof and do not penetrate the roof.
Invasive Flat Roofing Assessments
Invasive flat roofing inspections extract a small section of the roof and are more accurate in assessing the extent of structural damage that a leak has caused. They’re particularly useful when considering what type of repair work is required and whether an overlay is possible. The latter is particularly useful in saving money on new flat roofing systems through the application of an outer layer to the roof.
Insurance Inspections for Flat Roofs
Our technical team are able to provide flat roofing reports regarding the following subject areas: flat roofing membranes, slate & tiled pitched roofs, gutters (UPVC & GRP linings), soffits, fascias, bargeboards, chimneys, parapets and leadwork (flashing, etc).
Benefits of a Flat Roof Inspection
Flat roofing systems have a high failure rate (breakdown within a 30-year period) and in our experience, we estimate this to be around 30 %. The most common cause is defective workmanship followed by damage to the roofing system. This is why we recommend an approved system → with a comprehensive range of company and insurance-backed guarantees.
On recently purchased properties looking to gain insurance, a defective flat roof could void any property cover. If you’re looking to take out insurance on a recently purchased property and you have an older flat roofing system, we advise that you request a survey. If the flat roof was already defective and void of warranties, then the insurance company may not cover the damage. This is why we recommend you undertake a survey and identify any problems in advance – and it will save you money by detecting early-stage damage to roofing systems that have or are already showing signs of breakdown.
How Long is an Inspection Valid For?
If your property has a flat roof, insurance underwriters often request an inspection to assess the integrity of your flat roof. Strandek flat roofing inspection reports are valid for a 12 month period from the date of issue.