Flat roofs, or “low-slope” roofs as they are also called, are commonly found on commercial buildings throughout the world. Flat roofs are also incorporated on residential homes as required by design or size. In ancient days flat roofs were an extension of the living space below and used for living and sleeping areas. That is still the case today in many parts of the world.

The slope of a roof is properly known as its pitch and flat roofs have up to approximately 10° slope. Any sheet of material used to cover a flat or low-pitched roof is usually known as a membrane and the primary purpose of these membranes is to waterproof the roof area. Materials that cover flat roofs typically allow the water to run off from a slight inclination or camber into a gutter or drain system.

Flat roofing today has become quite complex as we no longer use the basic tar and gravel systems of the past, but we now have a vast array of membrane materials from which to choose. These “system” selections are made based on the climate, building material, and function of the roof.

Advanced education is extremely important and we constantly attend seminars presented by the Florida Roofing Contractors Association, and the National Roofing Contractors Association. In addition we attend classes presented by the Engineering College of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.