Roof frame designs have come a long way. While homeowners were limited to a few roof frame designs in the past, the sheer number of options available today makes the selection a nightmare. One good example of a modern roof frame design is the flat roof system. Unlike other framing designs, a flat roof system features a flat surface rather than a pitched one. While it is worth discussing the many advantages of flat roof frames, this article will focus on factors homeowners must consider before installation.
Structural Elements
A trend that has been growing over the last couple of years is the need for expansive space in homes. For instance, expansive living rooms are only separated from the kitchen by a kitchen island. With such expansive space comes the need to secure the roof frames, and this can be impractical with pitched or sloped roof frames. Moreover, if you need to use another roof frame design to achieve such an expansive space then you need columns to support the frames. This is where flat roof frames come in, since the length of the frames helps homeowners achieve an expansive space without compromising on the structural integrity. Therefore, you don't need columns to support the frames, and that only goes to create more free space.
Usable Space
Traditionally, pitched roof frames are known to offer extra usable space for homeowners. For example, a homeowner seeking to add an attic room in the future will opt for a pitched roof rather than a flat roof. However, thanks to the advancement in design and architecture, flat roofs can accommodate extra features. Therefore, you must consider the need to add extra features to your roof before installation. The good news is that there is a myriad of roof features that can come in handy, such as skylights or HVAC systems. Having the usable space available eliminates the need for additional work in the future.
Inspection and maintenance
Roofs serve a crucial purpose for any residential or commercial facility. Therefore, regular inspection and maintenance is a must if you want your roof to perform optimally. For this reason, routine inspection and maintenance cannot be ignored. A flat roof frame design makes the inspection and maintenance process easy, primarily because it is a safer option. Besides, the design makes it easy to conduct simple roof repairs as a DIY project, thus saving you the money you would have spent on a roofer if you had a pitched roof.
Contact a roofer in your area for more information about roof frames.