What Should You Do If RAAC Concrete Is Found In Your Roof?

Daniel Bracewell • 26 June 2024

Over the past year, discussions about RAAC tiles and roofs have increased and intensified, and generally any homeowner with a concrete flat roof made between the 1950s and 1990s should get in touch with specialists to investigate whether the roof is made from the material.

RAAC, short for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, has been a major concern, as it has been found in schools, hospitals and theatres, and is such a concern that the UK government has been funding its removal over the past year from schools and hospitals.

It is made with a mix of cement, ash, fine sand, lime and gypsum, followed by water and aluminium powder, which creates a distinctive bubbled texture.

It became very popular because it was a very lightweight yet strong material with excellent fire-resistant properties, which made RAAC very useful as a roofing material.

The worry about RAAC is not only that it has a shorter lifespan than conventional concrete, but that it has the potential to fail without warning, which typically manifests in collapsed roofing tiles.

Also, because it is inherently porous due to the bubbles throughout, it could potentially weaken the wire fabric or rebar used to reinforce it.

Generally, RAAC concrete can be identified by v-shaped grooves on the surface of the roof, but it can also be spotted through issues with ponding water on the roof affecting its ability to channel water away, sagging or cracking at the edges of panels.

Any of these signs are exceptionally concerning signs and a qualified flat roof expert should be contacted. Whilst not all RAAC tiles contain asbestos, there have been cases where both have been found at the same time and given the risks of asbestosis, the tiles need to be removed carefully and replaced with a modern flat roof.

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.