The chippings are put on the roof to reflect the suns rays in order to protect the felt.
Why put stones on flat roof.
The chips act as a barrier between non solar reflective felt and the sun basically help prolong its life span of the felt if its green mineral on your new roof you will not have to chip it as the minerals are solar reflective.
There are different types and weights of gravel used on flat roofs for these purposes.
These small stones are worth more than their weight in the protection they offer for underlying roofing materials and the barrier they provide to external elements like ultraviolet rays and harsh weather elements.
Specifically there are two main reasons to use a ballasted roof system.
The stones force it to stay put.
Tar has a low melting point.
Contractors and builders use gravel on flat roofing for two primary reasons.
The first is to protect the underlying layer of roofing materials on built up roofs burs and the second is to secure or weigh down the roofing material as is the case with single ply flat roofs.
The fact that they are covered in moss will allow them to absorb the suns rays therefore defeating the.
In a typical tar and gravel roof which by the way is gradually being supplanted by gravelless roof systems you put down a layer of tar paper then tar and finally gravel.
To weigh down or secure the roofing material as is the case with single ply flat roofs.
To protect the underlying layer of roofing materials as is the case with built up roofs burs.
Gravel is used on flat roofs for two reasons.
They slow down water run off increase surface area so the roof dries quicker and prevent sunlight reaching the felt causing it to crack.
In the summer it gets pretty soft and if left to its own devices would flow to the lowest point on the roof.
There are plenty of fillers to plug the gap liquid bitumen in a can which you paint on is usually used.
Have you ever wondered why contractors install gravel on flat roofs.
Gravel to protect built up roofs.