Guide To Maintaining Your Green Roof
With the UK becoming more environmentally conscious, green roofs are growing in popularity year after year. Despite being better for the environment, extending the longevity of your roof’s structure, and helping you conserve energy, green roofs are more than just a great eco-friendly solution.
Leading the way in urban aesthetics, green roofs deliver architectural innovation, making homes feel and look more modern, changing the future landscape of roofs. So, if you’re thinking of installing one, then it’s only right to learn what it will take to care for and maintain it.
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As a quick, general overview, the maintenance demands of a green roof are moderate, which means they don’t always require a significant investment of time and resources. However, the initial installation and ongoing of care are essential for the continued vitality of your green roof.
Essential maintenance tasks to keep your green roof damage-free
There are two aspects of taking care of a green roof; managing the shrubbery and maintaining the membrane.
Overgrowth of some plants is inevitable with any green roof. Plants can easily find their way into areas they’re not meant to be, like gutters or vents, which could cause blockages and damage, so consistent vigilance is key to preventing problems.
By regulating and inspecting your green for vegetation growing beyond the intended area, you can remove them and relocate them to other areas of the green roof that might appear sparse in their vegetation.
We recommend sedum for your green roof, as it should have no issue adapting swiftly to its new location if you need to reposition it. Perform these checks every month to ensure every plant stays in its designated spot.
To maintain the vitality of your green roof, you’ll need to water it. How often you’ll need to water the roof will depend on the type of roof; for example, sedum roofs are resilient and will endure longer periods without water.
Meanwhile, more intensive green roofs that contain larger flora-like bushes might require more watering during prolonged dry spells. If you have wildflowers on your roof, they’ll be the most water-dependent.
Rehydration timeline:
- 1 week dry: No need for additional water for sedum/
- 2 weeks dry: Wildflowers and intensive roofs require watering.
- 3 weeks dry: Increase watering for wildflowers and water a sedum roof if foliage looks stressed.
- 4+ weeks dry: Water all plants, but don’t overdo it if they’re coping well.
An irrigation system can ease this process and provide water when needed.
Alternatively, you could opt for artificial grass for your green roof, which would save about 23% of energy per year and require no substructure for grass to root.
Maintaining your green roof might sometimes entail controlling weed growth. Harmful weeds are moss and tree seedlings, which can cause damage to robust root symptoms and will need to be promptly removed to preserve the roof’s integrity. When moss is present, it could indicate excess moisture or even a lack of sunlight, so you might need to investigate any underlying causes, such as drainage or shading.
Regularly monitoring your roof, inspecting for debris, and keeping the drainage free from blockages is critical for sustaining your green roof. If you’re having problems with plant survival or wilting vegetation, you’ll need to ascertain the course, which is often due to an incorrect or inadequate drainage membrane. Bear in mind that frequent footfall traffic can also result in plants dying off as green roofs aren’t designed for regular pedestrian traffic.
Leaks and waterproofing
Green roofers beware, as leaks can often be a significant problem with green roofs, which could cause property damage and a costly re-roof replacement.
As you will need to be careful of plant selection and overwatering, it will be better to choose underlying membranes like FlexiProof. Due to its waterproofing properties and resilience, FlexiProof is the preferred waterproof option for green roof construction.
Even our fleece-backed EPDM rubber roofing membranes are the perfect flat roof solution for any type of green roof, offering up to 50 years of peace and durability.
Learn more about green roof construction, repair and replacement.
