Repairing a flat roof is almost a given over the life of a structure with one. Asking for flat roofing repair services promptly when there is trouble matters a lot, though. If any of these four problems have caught your attention, you should contact a flat roofing repair services contractor.

Pooled Water on Dry Days

A flat roof will typically have more pooling than you'd expect from a sloped one. However, the drainage system and evaporation should combine to dry it quickly once bad weather stops. If you're seeing pooled water on the roof, that's a bad sign. Even if there's no evidence of water leaking into the structure below, you should have a contractor check if something is wrong.

Damaged Roofing Materials

Most flat roofs depend on a tight seal to keep water from getting into a building. Typically, this involves a membrane made of a material like rubber. Prolonged exposure to UV rays, however, can cause these materials to degrade. You may see bubbles, cracks, blisters, or warping. Any of these issues is a leading indicator that the building needs flat roof repairs in the near future.

The usual solution is for a flat roofing repair services company to seal the affected areas. Many times, fibered roofing tar will fill the cracks enough to provide years of service. In some cases, contractors may have to cut out some of the membranes. They will usually attach a patch and seal the edges using tar or heat, depending on the type of material used for the roof and the patch.

You may also spot busted seams—this is common when previous flat roof repairs fail. If there appear to be long sections curling up a bit, that may be a sign that the roof requires additional work.

Mold

Water sometimes clears out enough that you might not see it pooling. However, moisture could be present in the materials or the surrounding structure. When this happens, the only sign may be the development of mold. You might notice a funky smell when you're on the roof. The mold could also be visible in patches, although you may have a hard time seeing black mold on dark surfaces.

Small Debris

Water and the drainage system should carry most smaller bits of debris off of the roof. If you're seeing gravel or small pieces of branches accumulating on the roof, that's a sign things aren't working as expected. They may be floating in the water and settling slowly due to a slow drain.

Reach out to a company like Fischer Roofing - Flat Roof Pros to find out more.