Should Flat Roofs Have Puddles

Flat roofs really shouldn t be flat.

Should flat roofs have puddles.

The slope should be a minimum of 1 in 80 but in practice a minimum slope of 1 to 40 should be used to allow for deflection of the roof and for normal building tolerances. For clarity flat roofs actually have a slight slope to allow rain water to drain off the roof but they seem flat when compared with more traditional steeply sloped roofs. As a result flat roofs are notorious for developing ponding water. However puddles 1 or more inches deep that linger for days can indicate a significant problem with.

If it s holding a lot of water this is not good amd firings should have been installed. Some flat roofs can hold a small puddle of water here and there especially big roofs but if done to a good standard and the epdm up to scratch small puddles won t cause a problem. It s really depends how much water the roof is holding. Ponding water is defined by roofers as water that stands in a puddle on the roof for longer than 48 hours.

Flat roofs do not drain as effectively as pitched roofs. Our unique formula of recycled rubber crumb polystyrene balls and binder fill up the areas where the puddles were on your flat roof making your flat roof flat again. They normally will have at least a inch to a foot slope and many roofers prefer more. Not only in the long term can it cause structural damage from the weight of the puddles but in the short term the puddles may cause leaks.

Home exterior roof flat roofs water puddling or standing on flat roof many so called flat roofs have some ponding. Flat roofs should not have puddles. By lori lapierre by their very nature flat roofs do not completely drain after it rains. When these sunken areas appear it s important to examine the problem carefully and determine if it is related to structural damage.

We can stop your flat roof having puddles now. Flat roofs should always have a slight pitch for quick drainage of rainwater but sunken areas that create puddles can appear from time to time. There can be a host of reasons why ponds of water may appear on your roof after bouts of rain so it s important to know what remedial action to take if your property is suffering.