HOW TO STOP WATER POOLING ON YOUR FLAT ROOF

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Despite the advantages of having a flat roof, there is one major downside.  Pooling water is a common problem with flat roofing because it does not drain water as effectively as sloped roofing.  Not being able to drain water means there is a risk for pooling.  This refers to water that stands in a puddle on the roof for more than 48 hours at a time.

How To Stop Water Pooling on Flat Roof?

Pooling water might not be an immediate threat, but if it is allowed to persist over time, the danger grows.  This accumulated water can begin to wear on the roofing membrane, reducing the membrane’s lifespan.  This can lead to things like leaks which can cause serious problems for the rest of the building. Thankfully, there are a few tactics that you can employ to resolve those pooling water issues. Most importantly, these should be done right away.

Identify Problem Areas

While flat roofs should be, as they sound, flat, that doesn’t mean they don’t have problem areas.  Low slope roofs can have dips and sags which provide a place for water to pool.  These come from weak spots in the roof, an excess of debris, or an inadequate installation process.  Professionals know how to adjust low slope roofs so that they can still facilitate drainage to keep standing water from pooling.  They also know how to fix problem areas.  They can do this through applying a filler that levels out the low spots, ergo eliminating the problem area. 

Flush Existing Drains

Drains can eventually become clogged with debris which can actually lead to standing water on your roof.  To prevent that buildup of debris, try removing sticks, leaves, and any other rooftop debris from the drainage system of your building.  Debris on its own is harmless, but when it accummulates it can lead to a variety of issues for your roof drainage system.  Regularly cleaning your drains or hiring a professional roofing service to come to do this once or twice per year is the best way to keep your drainage system clean and reduce the risk of pooling water.

Fix Low Spots

Despite the fact that they are called flat roofs, flat roofs aren’t always completely flat.  This is because there are subtle slopes on the surface of the roof that can come as a result of the installation process, weak spots in the roof, or a particular focus of debris or precipitation.  Additionally, qualified contractors understand how to slope a flat roof for drainage.  These slopes are meant to facilitate drainage so that there is not a lot of pooling water on your roof.  It helps to remove that extra water off to the edges of the building, where an external drainage system lives, or to designated internal drains that will carry the water away.

One of the flaws of these low spots is that water ponding can occur quite easily.  When that happens, the drains can clog with debris and fail to do their job.  This leads to a buildup of water that can cause damage to the membrane of the roof and eventually cause leakage.  A professional roofing contractor can fill those loose areas to better direct that water towards the drains. Again, the goal is to direct as much water as possible to the internal or external drains that your building possesses.

Add More Drain Lines

If the current drainage system has issues with effectively removing water from your flat roof, there are a few things that you can look into in order to help the process along.  Though it comes with additional costs, adding additional drains is one of the most effective ways to take care of this issue.  Flat roofs, particularly those in areas with high precipitation, will sometimes need those additional drains to properly clear the water from the roof.  Unfortunately, most building owners don’t realize this until they see that water ponding becomes a substantial problem in the wake of a heavy storm.

Most professional roofing contractors worth their salt can install extra drain lines or even widen the existing drains attached to your building in order to direct that excess water away from the rooftop.  Again, this is an extra cost, and most building owners will avoid this option.  Still, it isn’t out there if there is a more efficient option than this.

Install Roof Crickets

When it comes to pooling on your flat roof, you might find that the water ponds in specific areas.  These areas typically are near chimneys or around large vents.  The best way to battle water ponding in these areas is to install roof crickets in those areas.  Crickets are ridged structures that have been designed to divert melted snow and rainwater around roofing obstructions like the aforementioned chimneys and vents.  Because of their positioning or design, those obstructions may have a naturally difficult time draining water on their own.

Adding crickets to these obstructed areas can also help when standing water is typically associated with transitions between roof areas.  If you are experiencing ponding water in other areas of the roof, crickets might not be enough.  It is important to know how to drain water from your flat roof.  If most of the standing water revolves around those obstruction areas, installing roof crickets can be the remedy you have been searching for and answer your question about how to divert water on a flat roof.

Re-pitch The Rooftop

One issue that your commercial building roof could be having when it comes to keeping away ponding water is that the pitch was not properly designed or installed during the initial process.  All roofs need some form of sloping to them, even if it is just subtle.  Without the right amount of slope, the water that builds during a storm won’t be able to drain and will more often than not lead to additional pooling across your flat roof.

The process of re-pitching the roof might be a costly one, but it might also be the only way that you can solve consistent ponding issues on your flat roof.  It might be worth exploring other options first, but if you need to make the investment, there are far worse things to put your money towards.  Best of all, if you know what you are looking for, you can actually re-pitch the roof before a problem arises.  Sure, noticing standing water is an obvious sign, but maybe you live in an area that has a lot of storms and want to take preventative measures.

Replace The Membrane

The roof membrane protects your roof from moisture and other elements.  Pooling water can damage this membrane, which prevents it from protecting the building. Moisture can build up and seep into the building structure, causing serious structural damage.  Pooling water is one of the most common reasons for a damaged membrane.  Most roofing membranes are designed to withstand water ponds, but you need to take care of the membrane in order for it to do this job properly.  Invest in one of the more effective, modern versions and with regular preventative maintenance, your membrane will be stronger and last.  Membrane maintenance includes having a roofing contractor inspect the roof once or twice per year.

Professional Roof Inspection

One of the most important aspects of building ownership is maintenance.  This includes the roof.  Preventative maintenance is the best way to address pooling water and damage, so your roof can continue to work efficiently.  Flat roofing is known to develop pooling water easily, so being prepared and maintaining your roof is the only way to prevent it from becoming a serious issue.