Flat Roof Is Leaking

Tracing a low slope or flat roof leak to its source is important if you are to assure that the roof leak repair will be successful.

Flat roof is leaking.

The reason is that water can enter one spot and not really express itself inside until it is far away from the leak. 1 being located in a harsh environment 2 standing water on the roofing surface and 3 utilizing outdated roofing technology. Where water enters your interior space might not be exactly where the leak is because any water that penetrates a roofing membrane can travel for some distance until it finds a seam in the sub roof or sheathing and seeps inside. On coated concrete flat or low slope roofs the tracing of a leak to its probable source is often a bit easier because the horizontal travel distance will be less and the inside leak will appear close to a crack or close to a roof drain or point of overflow if the drains are blocked.

Flat roofs are vulnerable to leaks anywhere a structure rises up through the surface of the roof. Ponding water when water remains on your roof for more than 48 hours after precipitation it can lead to damaging leaks. Even though you may see a spot on the ceiling inside the house it doesn t mean that your flat roof leaked directly above that spot. Flat roof leak roofs can be a devil to locate.

This means that moisture can seep into the roof itself and cause problems that may lead to mold and fungus. Thin pieces of material sometimes metal that have been installed to weatherproof the roof and stop water entering at angles or joint. This flashing is normally installed around pipes and at roof edges but it isn t always that durable. If you want to protect these features against leaks different tactics can be used like rain collars installation of flashing field wraps and pipe boots.

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. While there are many different causes of leaks there are three that we have identified as the most common and most detrimental to your building s performance. There can be several reasons your flat roof leaks and each of them can strike in almost any situation. Damaged membrane if your flat roof is made of a single ply membrane it can be susceptible to damage due to ponding water or roof traffic.

A compromised membrane allows water to enter the insulation causing more serious leaks. Flat roofs are known as being problematic with many suffering leaks. 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. Since water seeks the path of least resistance the leak can be.

These three causes are. A common cause of leaks on flat roofs is often flashing. These structures include gas lines pipes plumbing vents and other building elements. In most cases flat roofs leak around vents and plumbing stacks or at the edge of the roof.

The same thing can happen on sloped roofs however you can usually discount all the roof area below the area where you see the leak.