Roof gravel as a roofing material
Roof gravel is found on many roofs. From the past, roof gravel was always laid on a roof because it made the roofing material last longer. Therefore, because of the roof gravel, the roofing wears out less quickly.
”Did you know that roofing loses its warranty between fifteen and twenty-five years?”
Roof gravel is also laid because it provides ballast and a form of counter pressure that keeps the roofing “in place.” This keeps the bitumen sections from blowing away or moving through weather or wind.
Roof gravel is found on a huge number of roofs. However, in recent years we also see more and more roofs with only bitumen on them. Nowadays it is possible to install a roof with just roof gravel because the quality of the bitumen has increased and the way the bitumen is applied has greatly improved.
The disadvantages of roofing gravel
Roofing gravel has some disadvantages:
- On average, roof gravel weighs 75 kilograms per square meter
- Roof gravel retains an enormous amount of heat, even when the sun goes down. As a result, the windows under roofs with roof gravel stay warm much longer than if there were no roof gravel. A green roof actually has a cooling effect and provides several benefits for the indoor climate.
Green roof while having roof gravel
If you currently have roof gravel on your roof, and you are thinking about installing a green roof (or having one installed), the gravel needs to be removed.
The most efficient and safest way to have the gravel removed is done using a vacuum cleaner. Gravel removal using a vacuum cleaner is safe due to the fact that the roofing material is not damaged the moment the gravel is removed.
Note: If you remove the roof gravel with a shovel, there is a chance of damaging the roofing material due to the sharp tip of the shovel. Leaks may result.
Drain green roof
When you have decided that the gravel needs to be removed from the roof, it also needs to be removed. After all, there is a big lump of gravel coming off that roof the moment it is removed.
Doing it yourself? Then the roof gravel is usually delivered to the landfill. This puts an extra burden on the environment because it has tar residue on the roof gravel.
You can also get rid of the roof gravel when you have the roof gravel removed by a professional.
Replacing roofing
In many cases, when the roof gravel is drained, it is a good idea to replace the roofing material. This is because the gravel wears down because of the heat in the roofing. Because the gravel wears into the roofing, you may experience leaks when you remove the gravel. In addition, when the gravel is removed, the ballast on the roof disappears. Beams then receive a little less pressure, causing the roof to “work.”
When a green roof is laid on roofing material that has not been replaced, the roofing material can crack more easily. In particular, we are talking about roofing materials that are more than ten to fifteen years old.
Then, when it starts to leak, for example due to a crack, the green roof needs to be removed. Then you are a lot further from home, as we say so nicely.
Solid construction
Gert-Jan concludes with the fact that he believes there is a solid build-up when you decide to “convert” a roof with roof gravel to a roof with a green roof.
The roadmap is as follows:
- Have the old roof gravel safely removed;
- Replace roofing, especially if it is older than 10 or 15 years;
- Install the green roof, possibly with solar panels
Need help during any of these steps? We are happy to assist you. We have built up an extensive network with which we can relieve you from A to Z during the removal or installation of gravel, roofing or a green roof.
