Author
Nigel Payne - Flat Roof Specialist
Flat roofs are common all around the world on buildings of all shapes and sizes. However, when it comes to flat roofs, meeting regulatory standards and ensuring compliance is vital to gaining the confidence of those who work under them.
But how do you meet regulatory standards and ensure customer confidence in flat roofing? Find the answers to these questions and much more below.
Importance of Testing
Before the flat roofing materials even reach any roofs, the very first thing that needs to be done is testing the materials during the manufacturing and selling process. This ensures that potential defects are found before a sale, reducing the chance of fire and safety hazards occurring after they have been placed on a roof.
There are various tests that can be done on flat roofs, such as wet testing (testing against water leaks), dry testing (testing against electronic leaks) and fire resistance testing (TS 1187).
Quality Assurance
Being assured of quality is one of the most important things that customers think about when it comes to deciding to purchase flat roofs. Vigorous testing of flat roofing systems, such as testing that the quality and durability are very high is one of the best ways to do this.
Flat roofing specialists will always ensure that best practices are always followed so that the flat roofing systems last for many years. This often includes using high-quality materials, installing the roof correctly, and regular inspections of the roof.
Performance Evaluation
As we’ve mentioned above, there are a wide variety of tests to evaluate the performance of flat roofing systems.
Let’s take a look at some of these below:
Weather Resistance: These tests measure the flat roofs' ability to withstand rain, snow, wind, and hail. By simulating these weather conditions, you can find whether the material can withstand the elements.
Water Tightness: This measures their ability to prevent water leakage. Often, this occurs by flooding the flat roofs and checking for leaks.
UV Resistance: This sees how the flat roof system can withstand UV radiation.
Thermal Insulation: This checks to see whether the system can keep the building warm without letting out too much heat. This is vital for the energy efficiency of a building.
Fire Resistance: One of the most important tests, this measures the ability of the system to withstand fire and remain safe.
Compliance with Regulations
Rigorous testing is vital for ensuring the flat roof systems are compliant with all the building regulations and industry standards in place to ensure the safety of the occupants.
Longevity and Warranty
The longevity of a flat roof is worked out by many factors, with the most important being the quality of materials used. Testing is vital in this process, as it can determine the expected lifespan of any given flat roofing system.
Finding out the lifespan of a flat roof is crucial for companies, so they know what warranty to give. This then gives peace of mind to those who own the buildings, as it will help protect the investment they made on the flat roof.
Research and Development
Flat roofing manufacturers constantly invest in R&D to test and develop new materials and designs to withstand the elements better and provide a product that lasts for a long time.
These R&D efforts have led to a variety of innovations in flat roofing, such as using new materials like Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO).
Environmental Considerations
Testing is also essential in developing eco-friendly roofing systems. By testing the sustainability, thermal energy efficiency and recyclability of flat roofs and their various materials, manufacturers can build more efficient designs that are better for those using them due to the enhanced energy efficiency they bring, as well as helping the wider environment.
Testing Methods
There are many different methods of testing flat roofing systems. Here are a few:
Laboratory tests: These are conducted in controlled environments that simulate the same conditions that the roof will experience throughout the years. Things like water tightness and durability are the main things that are tested here.
Field tests: These are conducted on roofs outside to see how they last out in the open in real-life conditions.
Accelerated Aging tests: This speeds up the ageing process of a roof membrane so it can be quickly seen whether they are long-lasting or break apart over time.
Product Certification: This is where third-party certification organisations verify whether a roof meets the required performance standards. This is often done through a combination of all the above test types. Some examples of product certifications include BBA certification, ISO:9001, and ISO:14001.
Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is essential for those in the flat roofing industry. As flat roofs are constantly exposed to the elements day in and day out, a high-quality and reliable system is so important. Testing ensures that this will be the case and that no faulty flat roofs will be sold to customers, ensuring customer satisfaction every time.
Wrapping Up
All in all, by ensuring compliance and undertaking rigorous testing on all flat roofs, customers can be confident that the flat roofs they buy will be of high quality and are unlikely to fail over time.
If you’re interested in finding out more info about compliance and testing when it comes to flat roofing, contact us today at Built with Bailey, and we’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have.
