Maintenance

Flat roof with rooflights Rawtenstall Library, 1906 – Architects: Crouch Butler & Savage

Flat roofs were used to incorporate the various rooflights, lantern lights and glazed domes used to illuminate the interiors of the buildings. As our pages illustrate, patents for both glazing and roofing techniques were emerging at the time and their potential to leak, be draughty and cold has stimulated many councils to insert false ceilings and artificial lighting in favour of the arduous job of maintaining such vulnerable features.