One of the most consistently common problems we’ve helped to remedy over the past 4 decades is water ponding and depressions on flat roofs. Almost every flat roof will have encountered some degree of ponding at some point, especially in the roof valley & drain areas.
Wilson Pacific Roofing has found a few main culprits leading to these roofing challenges: First,the installation of heavy equipment such as A/C Units and Solar Paneling without reinforcing the roof structure to compensate for the additional weight, is the primary cause. Of course, Second, we can’t discount the effects of aging…as the building settles over time, the outside walls remain rigid, but the roof will sag & contribute to depressions in the field area. Third, repeatedly re-roofing new layer upon old layer of roof & trapping moisture in between each, eventually adds significant weight to the roof structure. And Finally, sub-standard design or construction of the roof decking before the first roof was ever applied…it is extremely important to remember that the roof itself is only the waterproof covering & has no bearing on the shape of the roof or its structural soundness.
If this has been an on-going challenge with your roof, please know that there are many solutions to explore & we’ll help you understand what they are & which options may work for your particular roofing situation. If necessary, we’ll work side-by- side with a Structural Engineer or General Contractor to re-slope your roof; in some cases, a tapered insulation design is a great option; if these aren’t in your budget, Wilson Pacific Roofing can install roof & wall drains or build up the ponding areas with recovery board insulation – both are very inexpensive & effective ways to alleviate and displace ponding problems. However, this will help decrease excessive water weight but our ability to eradicate the problem is limited.
Our main goal is to identify the cause of the problem & discuss all available options for the best solution with our clients so that we can come to a solution that works best – together!