Roof leaks are experienced by residents on the top floor and residents on the lower floors below them. In a 5-story panel building covered with rolled materials, water can penetrate to the 4th and even 3rd floor. In 9-story brick buildings, the 9th and 8th floors are subject to leakage. And how unsightly does a room into which water flows from the ceiling of the top floor look!
In addition, leaks are often observed in apartments and staircases. In this case, the water can reach the 1st floor, running down the stairs without obstacles. Such a disaster is fraught with the penetration of water into electrical panels located on the site, which will lead to short circuits and “burnout” of the panels. This is serious damage, fraught not only with water invasion and dampness, but can also lead to accidents. Therefore, repairs should be carried out immediately.
READ ON THE TOPIC: Step-by-step repair of a soft roof
About flat roofing and its operation
Unlike a pitched roof, this roof is a single plane, the slope of which can vary from 2 to 15-20° (the minimum slope is needed for water drainage). This design is often called roofless; at the stage of housing design, they choose its type, which is easier to determine by the method of use:
- Exploitable . This implies its practical (often year-round) use. The roof is connected to the living quarters by an entrance; a recreation area, a flower garden, a solarium, and a sports ground are arranged on it. The structure is laid and erected taking into account high loads.
- Not in use . The owner appears here only when necessary, for inspection or repairs.
Flat roofs are traditionally common in southern regions with little snowy winters, but there are no direct prohibitions on the construction of such a structure in the northern regions. Contrary to popular belief, their operation is not significantly affected by wind strength or the amount of precipitation in winter.
Operable roof Source paradunato.net
Roof height in relation to the width of the house
From this angle, the determination of the height of the roof is determined based on the Pythagorean theorem . To do this, the cross section of the structure is represented as an equilateral triangle.
The parameter required for calculations is the roof slope angle . The height of the structure is the leg of a right triangle .
The calculation is carried out as follows:
- It is necessary to determine the tangent of the selected value for the slope angle.
- Knowing the width of the house , one side adjacent to the corner can be calculated by dividing the value by 2.
- Next, the available values need to be substituted under the well-known formula a = b * tg a.
- Using this principle, you can understand the dependence of the height of the ridge on the width of the house. The greater the width of the house, the greater the slope angle.
Ratio of house width to ridge height
About the advantages and disadvantages
A flat roof has the following attractive qualities:
- Economical construction . With the same area of the house, the area of the flat surface is less than that of the pitched surface; this means reduced costs for materials and components.
- Simple and quick installation . To equip a flat roof pie, you do not need to first purchase lumber and install sheathing. The extreme nature of installation work on a flat surface is reduced to a minimum; insurance is not needed here, so the labor intensity and time of installation work is reduced.
- Use for technical needs . A flat surface is a convenient place for mounting solar panels or climate control equipment. The facade of the house will not be damaged by external air conditioning units.
- Long service life . The flat roof is designed to last a long time and does not require expensive annual maintenance. Its reliability is guaranteed by compliance with building codes and proper organization of drainage.
Solar panels on a flat roof Source hs-projekt.pl
- Simplified maintenance . In order to inspect the chimney or ventilation duct, or clean the drain, you (or the specialist you invite) will not need the skills of a climber.
- Design possibilities . A flat roof is a necessary detail for many modern-style house projects, giving them a complete, exclusive look.
- Additional usable space . The usable roof included in the project allows you to equip a terrace, sauna or swimming pool, create a lawn or a small garden.
There are circumstances in which a flat roof may be inferior to a pitched roof. For example, a roof built without taking into account local climatic conditions may suffer from snow loads for which it was not designed. Most of the disadvantages of flat roofing are related to construction problems. Incorrect installation, violation of construction regulations, errors in drainage arrangement lead to a violation of the integrity of the structure and leaks. A well-equipped flat roof is, in many respects, a more profitable and functional option when compared with other structures.
Relaxation area Source mebel-go.ru
There is a leak: what should be done first?
So, it's happened: there's a wet spot on your ceiling, or water is dripping directly onto your furniture. What to do? First of all, you need to immediately call the management company’s hotline and call the emergency service (all numbers are usually indicated at the entrances).
The management company itself must carry out maintenance and repair of roofs at the expense of those payments that residents regularly make. Those. she doesn’t do it “out of her own pocket,” which means that since you pay regularly, you have the right to demand appropriate work. If you're interested, right on your rent receipts you can find an expense line such as fees for housing maintenance and repairs.
The second step is to think about where else you will go if your roof is leaking. One call, as practice shows, is not enough - it is quickly “forgotten”. Especially if leakage occurs regularly!
In such a case, the utility company should carry out a normal inspection and find the causes of the problem, and initiate major roof repairs if necessary. Therefore, if you call, then make the person answering the call formalize it in the form of a formal complaint indicating the time of the call.
The dispatcher should soon send a technical specialist or team to you to assess the damage and draw up a report.
Varieties and distinctive features of different types of roofs
In modern private housing construction, there are several ways to arrange a flat roof, which have some differences in the order of layers and the composition of the roofing pie.
Traditional roof
The composition of a traditional flat roof (also called soft), regardless of the slope, includes several layers:
- Base . Usually this is a reinforced concrete slab or metal profile structure.
- Vapor barrier . It is laid directly on the base and protects the overlying layer from diffuse moisture penetrating from below. The layer is made of roll or bitumen materials.
- Thermal insulation . The insulation is often one or two layers of mineral wool, polystyrene foam boards or PIR boards. It is acceptable to use expanded clay gravel or install a cement screed.
- Waterproofing . Protects underlying layers from atmospheric moisture. To organize it, bitumen-based materials are used: various rolled materials, as well as mastics or PVC membranes.
Installation of traditional roofing Source projject.ru
- Finish coating . Its role is successfully fulfilled by modern brands of waterproofing materials. The use of sheet and piece materials is not recommended - a small slope and many joints create a high risk of leaks.
See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in roof repair and design.
Operated roof
The main advantage of this design is the opportunity to obtain and profitably use additional space, in the form of a cozy relaxation corner or a place for sports. The design is a multilayer structure, the characteristics of which are prescribed in SNiP. The rules describe the procedure for arranging a roof in use; A cross-section of the pie with dimensions can be studied there. The operating coating has the following differences from the traditional design:
- A slope-forming layer is laid above the reinforced concrete base .
- Between the layer of insulation and waterproofing, a screed is made (at the correct angle) or fiberglass is laid.
Pie with tiled coating Source tupikov.ru
- Between the layer of waterproofing and the final (finishing) coating, an additional layer of protective separator (layer of geotextile) is made.
Taking into account the peculiarities of use, the layers of the roofing cake are arranged in accordance with the following conditions:
- Base . It must be rigid and capable of maintaining the integrity of the waterproofing.
- Insulation . The thermal insulation layer in such a roof is under constant load, both dynamic and static, therefore, the main requirement for this layer is to have sufficient compressive strength. If the material is not rigid enough, it is reinforced with a layer of cement screed. One of the modern solutions is PIR boards. They are rigid and strong enough to withstand the loads during operation and at the same time light, which allows them not to overload the roof structure.
- Finishing . The most popular option for finishing material is paving slabs, which are installed on special stands or a sand cushion, which allows the pressure to be distributed more evenly. If it is expected that the operation will be significant, experts recommend installing an inversion-type flat roofing pie.
Who is responsible for the safety of the upper floor apartments?
So, let's start with who exactly is responsible for the integrity and safety of the roof of a residential apartment building. This is a management company or housing and communal services.
There is such an article as current repairs, where the funds of apartment owners are saved. And when this repair is necessary, a team must arrive and use the funds accumulated under the article to repair the roof:
At a meeting with representatives of the management company, you need to determine the approximate cost of the upcoming repairs and whether there will be enough funds for the item. Then, at a general meeting of residents, they vote to entrust the solution to the problem to the management company, and a certain number of apartment owners must vote positively.
Keep in mind that the voting results are calculated in accordance with the area of the apartments and the vote of the owner of a one-room apartment is not at all the same as the vote of the owner of a five-room apartment. By the way, if it turns out that there are still not enough funds, you can offer to make repairs at the expense of future payments or introduce an additional payment right now.
Whatever decision the residents come to, it must be recorded as a decision of the general meeting of owners.
Video description
About flat roofing in use in the following video:
Inversion roofing
The main problem with a traditionally installed structure is the regular cycles of freezing and thawing that are common in our climate. The vulnerability of the outer layer to seasonal temperature fluctuations and solar radiation disappears after the installation of an inversion coating.
Unlike a traditional roof, here the thermal insulation is laid not under, but above the waterproofing. The insulating layer on top is protected by a ballast layer from mechanical pressure, temperature changes and sunlight with its destructive ultraviolet radiation. The roofing pie looks like this:
- A layer of waterproofing is laid on the concrete . Euroroofing felt, PVC membrane or bitumen mastics cope with this role.
- Thermal insulation is being installed . The assigned function is best accomplished by extruded polystyrene foam and PIR boards - synthetic materials characterized by high compressive strength and extremely low water and vapor permeability.
- A geotextile covering is laid and drainage is arranged.
Design of a flat inversion roof Source krovly.com.ua
- The top (ballast) layer , which plays a protective role, is made of gravel (bulk version), tiles are laid on top. On such a surface you can not only lay out a lawn and flower garden, but also without fear create a terrace, place chairs, a tea table or sun loungers.
See also: Catalog of flat-roof house projects presented at the Low-Rise Country exhibition.
Non-operational design
If paths, flower beds or a recreation area are not intended to be placed on the roof, it will be much easier (and cheaper) to equip it. Such a surface is not demanding on the parameters of the insulating layer and the overall strength of the base. At the same time, such simplification of requirements means a reduction in the service life of the surface.
Typical projects
Nine-story houses made of blocks according to the standard series II-18-01/09, this is the most common 9-story Khrushchev building in Moscow. The first houses of this type began to be built in 1957–1958. Panel houses of the I-515/9M series were built from 1957 to 1976. By the way, the ceiling height was 2.64 m.
Panel house series I-515/9M
Brick houses were also built. From 1973–1983, very high-quality houses were built using the II-66 standard series. The housing in them had an improved layout and was considered prestigious. There is a version of series II-18-01/09 in brick version II-18-01/09MIK.
Brick house of standard series II-66
After the 70s, a new catalog of construction parts began to operate in the Soviet Union, and with it new projects appeared. Here are the most common series of houses: 1-515/9sh, 1605/9, 11-18/9, 11-49; P-44K, 137.
There are really a lot of projects and it makes no sense to list them all, but you need to know that they had different heights. The exact details can be found in the architecture committee.
Video description
About the intricacies of a flat roof in the following video:
Breathable (ventilated) roof
The reason why roofing structures lose their properties over time is due to waterlogging of the heat-insulating layer. Undesirable changes are especially accelerated in the summer, when the temperature rises and increased evaporation of moisture from the insulation begins. The consequences are visible to the naked eye - swellings and tears form on the roof surface, and cracks form. Sooner or later, the destructive process ends with a violation of the integrity of the roofing pie and peeling of the coating from the base.
To prevent destruction, the roof structure is made breathable (ventilated); this neutralizes the formation of condensation and ensures high-quality removal of water vapor. The flat roof structure is undergoing significant changes; The roofing carpet of the ventilated covering consists of the following elements:
- A floor slab on which layers of vapor barrier and insulation .
- Cement-sand screed.
- The bottom layer of multi-layer waterproofing . Usually this is a layer of euroroofing material (Uniflex VENT), which prevents swelling.
Flat roof ventilation diagram Source regionzap.ru
- Waterproofing layer . Polymer-bitumen (SBS) binder, providing additional sealing.
- The top layer of multi-layer waterproofing . Uniflex EKP (TKP).
- Roof fans (aerators).
- Expanded clay gravel.
- Final roll coating .
This design solution can be used both when constructing a new roof and when repairing an old one. In the latter case, the installation of a ventilated covering can be carried out without removing the old fused roofing carpet, which will serve as an additional layer of waterproofing. If a new layer is created with a slope, this will ensure high-quality outflow of water and extend the service life of the structure.
Installation
A flat roof cannot be installed strictly horizontally - a minimum slope of at least 5 degrees must be observed. This requirement is due to the need to ensure the drainage of rainwater and snow from the roofing surface. Another important point: it is necessary that the slope be created not only by the coating, but mainly due to the correct execution of expanded clay or slag bedding. Even if the slope angle reaches 10 degrees, this will not interfere with the uniform laying of the heat-insulating material.
Video description
About green roofs in the following video:
- A layer of insulation is laid ; It is appropriate to use extruded materials here.
- Geotextiles are laid (or better yet, two layers, with a profiled membrane between them, which will allow soil pressure to be more evenly distributed).
- Drainage layer . Gravel or crushed stone is used.
- A filter layer that simultaneously protects the root system of plants.
- Soil and green spaces.
Green roof design diagram Source stroyfora.ru
Green roofs, depending on the nature of operation and the amount of landscaping, are divided into two types:
- Extensive . Not designed for constant human presence. The soil layer is laid thin in thickness (up to 15 cm); Only lawn grass is sown, and flowers and ornamental shrubs are planted in pots or special containers.
Extensive green roof Source pinterest.co.uk
- Intense . If the design of the house allows you to lay a layer of soil 0.3-0.6 m thick (the total thickness of the roofing carpet reaches 1.2 m), you can set up a full-fledged garden with trees and lush flower beds on the roof. The installation of such a structure should be entrusted to professionals; Repairing a green roof made by hand is a time-consuming, problematic and expensive task.
How to repair?
In case of swelling, the affected areas are opened crosswise with a cutting instrument and the edges are turned away. Then the mastic is applied inside with a spatula, and the edges are returned to their place and nailed. The damaged area is covered with a patch that is several cm larger than the damage. Broken seams are cleaned, lubricated with mastic and nailed. If there is material, apply a patch on top along the entire seam. The cracks are sealed in a similar way with mastic, and a “patch” is applied on top. In places where damage is frequent, lay a strip or two of new material.
READ ON THE TOPIC: SNiP Roofing. Overview of the roofing company TechnoNIKOL.
Rules for using a flat roof
Operating a flat roof is no more difficult than a conventional gable roof. There are a number of rules, compliance with which during installation and further use will help extend the service life of the roofing:
- The roofing carpet should be protected from contact with organic solvents , gasoline or technical oil.
- The roof must be clean . Any debris, nails, forgotten pieces of reinforcement and wire left on the surface of the coating can compromise its integrity.
- It should be remembered that the bitumen-polymer materials included in the cake do not tolerate steam and temperatures above 45° .
- Regular inspection . During the melting of snow cover and autumn leaves, it is necessary to inspect gutters and funnels (at least twice a month).
Modern flat roof project Source archilovers.com
