Flat and Low-Slope Roof Repair in Newport News, VA

Why does a flat roof hold water after the drain is cleared?

Because the drain may sit above the low point. Clearing it empties the basin only to the level of the drain, and the rest of the water stays.

A drain cleared at the surface can still hold water when its height is wrong. The basin fills to the drain and no further. The fix is to measure the difference, then to move the drain or form a sump at the low point.

Either change is a deliberate alteration to the roof, and it is written into the scope with its reason.

• Measure the drain against the low point
• Record the pond depth after a dry day
• Decide between moving the drain and forming a sump

Why do seams fail first?

Because seams are made in the field and age faster than the sheet. When a seam opens, water finds the gap, and the first sign may be a stain well away from it.

A membrane is one sheet across the roof, but the seams are where sheets meet. Sealant dries and shrinks, and a seam edge lifts. A seam that is intact underneath can still leak at its lifted edge.

A roofer probes each seam, marks the failed ones on a numbered plan and repairs them with the named product.

• Probe each seam along its length
• Mark failed seams on a numbered plan
• Use the named product on a clean, dry surface

When is a repair not enough?

When the ponding covers most of the roof, the membrane splits when lifted or the insulation is wet across a large area.

A repair is right where the damage is local and the membrane is flexible. If ponding covers most of the roof, or the membrane splits, replacement is the honest question, and the roofer says so in writing.

A replacement is a separate quote, and this page covers the repair only.

• Ponding across most of the roof
• A membrane that splits when lifted
• Wet insulation over a large area

What belongs in the flat roof record?

The drains by position and height, the seams by number, the repairs made, the materials used and the drainage test after the work.

A flat roof record names each drain and scupper, states the height found and the height after any change, and lists the seams and repairs by number. Photographs before and after show the roof at each visit.

Keep the record with the roof file and any storm inspection.

• Drains named by position and height
• Seams numbered and repairs listed
• The drainage test after the work

A drain's height in plain terms

A drain is measured against the lowest point of the roof, and the difference is written in inches, so the problem is stated in terms the homeowner can check.

The roofer measures the difference between the drain and the lowest point of the roof in inches. A figure in inches is easier to check than a description, and it is the number the next roofer will need to see.

• Measured in inches
• Against the lowest point of the roof
• Written where it can be checked