If you have lived in Dubai through a July afternoon, you already know what your roof goes through.  It spends hours in the sun, absorbs the heat that most surfaces would have a hard time with, and then is struck by a sudden downpour or a dust storm when you least expect it.  

The Weather Your Roof Is Up Against

The weather in Dubai is unfriendly to materials in a number of ways simultaneously.  

Heat. Temperatures in the summer can easily reach 45 degrees Celsius and the surface of a roof can be significantly hotter than the surrounding air. During the day, materials are expanded and during the night they shrink. Eventually, that continuous motion forms cracks, loosens joints and wears off older roofing.  

Humidity. Moisture along the coastline falls into small crevices. When water gets in, it travels silently and you might not realize until a wet spot appears on your ceiling.  

Sudden rain. We do not have a lot of it, but when we have it, we have it in spades. Rarely used roofs are not usually ready to receive water and drainage issues manifest themselves quickly.  

Dust and sand. Fine particles block drains, scratch surfaces and accumulate in corners, which retains moisture against the roof.  

There is no single material that will address all of this. This is why the roofing of today is a system, and each layer has its job to do.  

How Modern Roof Systems Respond

Insulated panels keep the heat out

The shift to insulated sandwich panels is one of the biggest changes in recent years. These panels are made of metal outer skin, insulation core, and a bottom metal layer. The exterior skin reflects the sun and the interior core reduces the amount of heat entering your building. In the case of warehouses, factories and commercial units, this is a reality. A cooler interior will ensure that your air conditioning does not work as hard and it is reflected in your energy bills. We use roof and wall sandwich panels, GI purlins and channels, thus the entire structure is reinforced at the beginning.  

Cladding protects the structure  

The roofing is the first line of defense of your roof. Good roof cladding Dubai projects are based on coated metal sheets which are resistant to corrosion, manage thermal movement and shed water rapidly. The metal is no better than the coating. A poor finish will begin to rust much sooner than you think in a humid, salty climate. Single skin profile sheets are also used in sheds, car parking shades and light structures where insulation is not a priority. The trick is to select the appropriate sheet thickness and fixing technique to the wind loads that your building will encounter.  

Waterproofing seals what the surface cannot

Even the finest roof surface contains joints, edges and penetrations and there the leaks start. Waterproofing comes in there. Depending on your roof, we work with bitumen membranes, polyurethane coatings and polyurea systems. Bitumen is a reliable option with flat concrete roofs. Polyurethane and polyurea provide a smooth coating that stretches a little with the roof as it warms and cools, and this is highly beneficial in our climate.  

This is one of the things that we tell all our clients: a leak is not necessarily where the water appears indoors. Water may move a long distance on a slab before it manifests. This is the reason why we never guess but first inspect the site.  

Drainage keeps water moving

A roof of the correct slope and openings will take a heavy shower much better than one which retains the water. Contemporary designs are very considerate of falls, gutters and outlets, since standing water is one of the quickest methods of reducing the life of a roof.  

Signs Your Roof May Need Attention  

You need not wait until you are leaked. Keep an eye out for these:  

• Surface cracks of hairline or joints.
• Scab, blistering or fading coating.  
• Ceilings with damp marks or stains following rain.  
• Rust on metal sheets or fixings.  
• Rooms that are warmer than before.  

When you see any of these, a quick check up can save you a lot of bigger repair in the future.  

Choosing The Right Approach For Your Building

There is no single best roof for every property. The needs, budgets and exposure level of a villa, a warehouse and a G+5 building are different. What suits one may not suit another.  

This is the reason we begin all projects by taking a good look at your site. We examine what is already present, its exposure and what the job actually requires. We then suggest a solution that suits your building rather than pushing a single standard product. We have more than 1000 completed jobs in residential, commercial and industrial clients and we have a good idea of what works and what does not.  

A Little Care Goes A Long Way

Even a solid roof is good with frequent care. Clean drains before the rainy months. Inspect your roof following a storm. Get it checked at least once a year, particularly when it is over a few years. Minor repairs performed early are nearly always cheaper than big repairs performed late.  

LET US TAKE A LOOK  

The weather in Dubai is not becoming milder, but your roof can be prepared for it. The proper combination of insulation, cladding and waterproofing, properly installed, provides you with a roof that keeps cool, keeps sealed, and lasts.