Roof waterproofing in Crete: flat roof leaks, roof terraces and tiled roofs repaired before the winter rains
Most houses in Crete have flat concrete roofs and roof terraces. For months the sun beats down on them, the surface heats up during the day and cools at night, and the waterproofing slowly dries out, cracks and lifts. Nothing shows in summer. Then the first heavy autumn storm arrives and every weak spot appears at once: a damp patch on the bedroom ceiling, bubbling paint, black mould in a corner or water dripping onto the floor.
A roof leak is rarely fixed with a quick layer of paint. I start by inspecting the whole roof: the surface, the parapets, the joints where roof meets wall, the roof drains and every point where something goes through the roof, such as solar water heater frames, A/C pipes and cables. Then I repair cracks and joints, clean and prepare the surface, and apply a waterproofing system that suits your roof and how you use it. A roof terrace you walk on every day needs a different solution than a roof you only visit to check the solar heater.
I work from Hersonissos in Heraklion, Malia, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and the villages around them. Roof waterproofing is planned work, ideally in late summer or early autumn when the roof is completely dry. Because I am also a plumber and electrician, I can deal with leaking solar heater connections and cable entries on the roof in the same job, and check the damage inside afterwards.