Living Roof Considerations: Questions To Ask
If your home is in need of a new roof and you've decided that you want to install a living roof, there are some things you'll need to discuss with your roofing contractor. Installing a living roof requires some additional considerations compared to a traditional residential roof, so it's important that you start the process fully understanding what makes it so different. Here's a look at a few of the things you need to discuss with your roofing contractor before installing a living roof.
How Much Is Too Much?
One of the first things you need to consider when installing a living roof is the additional weight factor. You need to talk with your roofing contractor about the structural integrity of your roofing frame and support beams. Your roofing contractor can tell you what the weight capacity is for the existing structure, and they can also tell you if you need to add additional structural support for the weight of your new roof.
In order to accurately determine this, though, you'll have to choose your planter frame structure, the soil that you'll be using, and the plants that you intend to keep on your roof. That way, your roofing contractor can get an accurate assessment of the weight involved in the roof's final assembly to determine if you need to add additional reinforcement.
Where Does The Water Go?
Another key factor when you're constructing a living roof is adequate drainage. In most cases, your living roof will be constructed with lightweight loamy or sandy soil that doesn't retain a lot of moisture. This is ideal to avoid excess weight from saturated soil after rainstorms as well as to prevent moisture that's soaked into the soil from sitting against your roof and causing damage.
No matter what type of soil you choose, you'll need to be sure that your living roof has adequate drainage to ensure that your roof doesn't suffer water damage. Drainage channels installed under each of the planting beds can help with this. Talk with your roofing contractor about the drainage options to choose the one that best fits your needs.
How Do You Access The Roof?
As you finalize your living roof design with your residential roofing contractor, you should also discuss access to the roof. Remember that you will likely need to get up there from time to time for weeding, plant care, replacing your plants, and more.
Your roofing contractor can add some reinforced, textured walkways for you to be able to get to each of the living roof beds to do any upkeep that's needed safely and without damaging your roof.
To learn more information, reach out to a residential roofing contractor near you.