Once installed by specialists, flat roofs can provide comfort and convenience throughout the entire year, from baking sunny days to frosty cold snaps.
If installed properly and not so old that it needs replacing, a flat roof will have little trouble during the winter months, even ones where the UK faces more snow, ice and hail than usual. Repairs can often be done during this time as well.
As for wholesale replacements, substantial repairs or new installations, that can sometimes be somewhat trickier due to the nature of the installation.
Most common and popular roof installations, as well as more recent trends such as epoxy balconies, rely on adhesives that rely on warmer temperatures in order to stick properly. The minimum use temperature is something that is often clearly signposted.
Epoxy tends to work, but does take longer to cure, and the same is true for glues with the added issue of thickening the solution, making it harder to create effective bonds.
The result on a flat roof is that in some cases the EPDM material will not stick to your roof properly if the weather is that cold, as it will take too long to dry or outright freeze.
At this point, the best solution is to apply a temporary roof until temperatures improve. Installing the roof anyway when it will not stick is absolutely not recommended, and it can have extremely negative effects on the lifespan of the flat roof.
Most roofs last between 20 and 30 years, but that is one that has been installed by experts and allowed to cure properly. One that does not will be lucky to last five years without requiring substantial work to fix it.
There are plenty of temporary solutions, from tarpaulins, roofing cement and other quick fixes that will keep the roof safe until the time is right for a more permanent solution.