Flat Roof Issues

Drainage systems on a flat roof can be overwhelmed quickly by falling debris and anytime there is standing water on a roof issues.

Flat roof issues. Even small amounts of trapped moisture can result in your flat roof membrane detaching from the layer below and cause roof blisters. A particular worry when it comes to flat roofs the solution is to form tapered areas over the surface of the roof. When water begins to pool or form little ponds on top of the roof it can cause problems in the long run. This is not a self diagnostic guide but rather an informative list of some of the problems most often battled.

Unlike a steeply pitched roof these surfaces don t always have the power of gravity working with them to carry runoff down to the ground. How to find roof leaks. Long term effects of ponding water on a flat roof. This is the most common roofing problem and it tends to get worse during the day when the heat of the sun causes the trapped moisture to expand.

Buildings magazine examined which problems are most common and the conditions that can either cause or be the result of premature failure and reduced service life of low slope roof systems. When blistering occurs it. Here s how to clean roof stains the first thing to look for is any roof penetrations. Flat roofs are an ancient form mostly used in arid climates and allow the roof space to be used as a living space or a living roof flat roofs or low slope roofs are also commonly found on commercial.

A flat roof is a roof which is almost level in contrast to the many types of sloped roofs the slope of a roof is properly known as its pitch and flat roofs have up to approximately 10. Leaks and moisture probably the most common problems with flat roofs leaks and lingering moisture are issues that can be dealt with effectively as long as you stay on top of them. The problem is when the water sticks around. If your commercial building has a flat roof sometimes there is a problem with ponding water.

Just like any roof a flat roof will develop leaks but since it s flat the water doesn t have anywhere to go but straight down. When you re trying to track down a leak start by looking at the roof uphill from the stains. Those little slopes will allow the water to run off keeping your roof free from water damage. Does your roof have issues with ponding water.

Obvious or unforeseen roof problems are always a pain and undoubtedly a significant expense. However in my own experience the problems with leaking flat roofs are usually as a result of either poor workmanship installing the roof membrane poor maintenance by the building owner or as a result of age. This is especially prevalent after a lot of rainstorms. Here are a few of the most common and easy to recognize signs of roof problems.

If you have some water on your roof after a heavy rain for instance but the water is gone in a couple of days your roof is doing just fine. Rainwater can be a pretty serious threat to a low sloped or flat roof. This is because the flat roof can hinder drainage from rainwater which results in standing water on the roof.