A leaky roof terrace can lead to moisture and damage to the building below. Leaks must therefore be repaired as quickly as possible. You can find out how to do this below.
How to seal a leaky roof terrace?
To seal a leaky roof terrace, first remove the old floor covering and bitumen sheets. Then have any damage to the masonry repaired by a professional before new bitumen membranes are laid and sealed with a burner. Finally, joints and edges were sealed and the terrace floor was laid.
Why is the roof terrace leaking?
First you have to determine what the problem is: Is the flooring leaking or are there perhaps cracks in the wall? Are all drains working properly or is the water unable to drain and backing up in certain places? If so, the problem must be resolved before the new floor covering is laid. In a second step, the old floor covering must be removed. Unfortunately, there is no real alternative to renovating a leaky roof terrace without removing the old covering. The covering must be removed in order to identify and repair possible major damage. Bitumen also cannot be glued to existing bitumen. Instead, they need to be completely renewed. Therefore, sealing the roof terrace is a very expensive matter.
How much does it cost to have a roof terrace sealed?
If you hire a professional to do the sealing, you should expect to pay at least €40 per square meter. If insulation also needs to be replaced, costs of up to €100 per square meter can arise. Now you may be thinking that you can save money by doing the sealing yourself. This does not necessarily have to be the case, as you have to cover the costs for disposal and the procurement of resources such as the burner yourself. However, you can carry out some of the work yourself.
Seal a leaky roof terrace: step by step
1. Remove old floor covering
Remove tiles, floorboards or other flooring from the entire roof terrace. If it is still OK, loosen it with great care so that you can then move it again. The bitumen sheets are then removed. You can also take these steps yourself to save costs.
2. Repair damage
If the masonry is damaged or very wet, it must be dried and renovated. You should definitely leave this to a professional.
3. Lay new bitumen
The new bitumen membranes are now laid out on a clean, dry surface and sealed with a burner.
4. Seal joints and edges
Joints and edges are sealed with liquid bitumen or other fillers.
5. Laying terrace flooring
Finally, the new or old terrace floor is laid.