Looking after a flat roof in Malta

Why flat roofs need year-round attention

Almost every home in Malta and Gozo has a flat roof, and it works hard. It is where the water tanks, washroom, solar panels, satellite dish and washing lines live, and often where the chimney comes out. It bakes in summer, takes the brunt of sudden autumn and winter downpours and collects dust, sand and salt all year.

A little attention at the right times keeps water out of the rooms below and keeps everything on the roof working.

What the roof has to handle

• Sun. Months of intense summer sun break down coatings and membranes over time, causing cracks and blisters.
• Sudden heavy rain. Autumn storms can drop a lot of water in a short time. If the drains are blocked, it has nowhere to go.
• Wind and dust. Dust, sand from red rain, leaves and plastic blow onto the roof and collect against parapets and around outlets.
• Salt. Near the sea, salt settles on everything, attacking metal fittings and frames. See protecting your home from sea salt.

Clear the drains before the first rain

This is the single most useful job. Over a dry summer, dust, sand and leaves build up in corners and around the roof outlets. The first heavy rain washes all of it into the drain at once, which blocks it. Water then pools on the roof, finds its way through any weak spot and can leak into the rooms below.

Each September or early October:

1. Sweep the whole roof, working towards the outlets but collecting the dirt in a bag rather than pushing it down them.
2. Clear the outlets and grates by hand.
3. Run a bucket of water down each outlet to check it flows freely.
4. Do it again after any big storm.

Check for problems

Walk the roof (safely, away from unprotected edges) a couple of times a year and look for:

• ponding: water still sitting days after rain,
• cracks, blisters or peeling in the membrane or coating,
• loose or cracked parapet stones,
• plants growing in corners or cracks,
• damp patches or stains on the ceilings below.

Report anything you find to a roofer or builder. We do not do waterproofing or roof repairs.

Solar panels on the roof

Panels on raised frames are a big part of many Maltese roofs. They need cleaning once or twice a year, after the summer and in spring, because rain does not shift the dust and droppings. See the best time of year to clean solar panels and cleaning solar panels on flat roofs and raised frames.

Never walk on panels or frames, and clean under the frames when you can, as rubbish collects there and ends up in the drains.

Solar water heaters need the same attention. See solar water heater care.

Pigeons under the panels

The shaded space under raised frames is ideal for pigeons. Nests and droppings:

• foul the panels below where birds perch,
• block drains with feathers and nest material,
• make it hard to inspect the roof underneath.

Your solar installer or a specialist can fit mesh around the panel edges to keep birds out. Do it outside nesting season, once any nest is empty. See bird droppings on solar panels. Pigeons also nest in chimneys. See bird nests in chimneys.

The washroom and chimney

• Roof washroom: check the door, window and roof of the washroom itself for leaks before winter. If it has become a store for old furniture and junk, clearing it makes the roof easier to look after. See garage and roof washroom clear-outs.
• Chimney: look at the pot and the stack for loose stones, cracks or nests before the heating season, and book your chimney sweep.

Keep the roof clear

Old furniture, broken appliances, building leftovers and bags of rubbish on a roof trap water, blow around in storms and hide problems. Clear them away. Our junk removal service clears roofs and washrooms, including the carrying down.

A simple yearly routine

For the whole house, see our home maintenance calendar for Malta.

Booking

We arrange solar panel cleaning, chimney sweeping and roof and washroom clearance across Malta and Gozo. Get a quote.