When you have a flat roof, pooling water is a common cause for concern. Pooling water can damage your low slope roof and cause it to need more frequent maintenance and repairs, and in the worst cases, eventually replacement. A damaged low slope roof leads to higher potential for leaks, too.
While standing water on your roof is normal, to an extent, it becomes a problem based on how long it’s there. If it has just rained, then it’s expected for there to be some standing water, especially on a low slope roof for a couple of days.
However, if it’s been pooled there for longer than two days rather than evaporating, that’s when it is called pooling water and has a propensity to cause damage. If that’s the case, it’s important to call a professional to come out and look at your roof.
Fortunately, just because you have a low slope roof doesn’t mean that pooling water is just something that you have to deal with. There are steps you can take in order to reduce the possibility of standing water on your roof. With these, you can extend the longevity of your roof, prevent damages and leaks, and mitigate the problem. Here are some of the ways you can eliminate pooling water from your low slope roof.
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.
Water pools when it either gets caught in low areas or when it has nowhere to drain to. Low slope roofs generally don’t have the best drainage which is why they have a higher risk for ponding water, which is why it’s especially important to maintain your drains. If your drainage system is clogged, this won’t let the water on your roof flow away.
If you notice a buildup of debris in your drains, call a professional to come and clean them out. Generally, it is recommended that you have your drains cleaned once or twice annually to prevent debris build-up and clogs.
Because low slope roofs are not the best for drainage, you can help them out through installing additional drain lines. This is one of the most effective ways to eliminate the issue of pooling water since it provides extra drainage and makes it harder for water to stay and pool. Though this is an extra cost, if you have a low slope roof, you may find it more than worth it in the long run as it helps prevent pooling water and all the issues that it brings with it.
Installing roof crickets can be an excellent way to help out problem areas on your roof in addition to having them filled. Roof crickets are structures designed to help water drain from places it can congregate around, like a chimney.
Sometimes, a leading factor in pooling water on your low slope roof is that the coating of your roofing system was inadequately done. This means that it doesn’t protect your roof as well as it should and that it might not be sloped correctly, because even “flat” roofs have some slope to them to assist in drainage. If this is the case, you’ll likely want to look into having it redone, to prevent substantial damages.
Here at Stone Edge Surfaces, we have professionals who understand the importance of keeping your roof in good shape. We offer both a commercial low slope roofing system and a low slope roof low spot and pooling water filler that can help direct water off of your roof, decreasing the threat of pooling water. If you have any questions about these or any of the other services we offer, please feel free to contact us at Stone Edge Surfaces today.