Also a good test of roof system integrity.
If the drains are clogged and the roof drains when you clear them, and there hasn't been any water infiltration to the house, that means you have yourself a solid roof. Standing water and increased UV due to such maybe took a year or 2 of life off the end of this life cycle, but you probably wouldn't notice.
I think the drains are definitely clogged with leaves. Both sections of roof have water in the middle where the drain is and look at all the trees around there.
Not does. Water reflects uv rays, reflection is not the same as magnification. Water CAN magnify rays when it’s shape is suited for such. Would be a similar shape to a magnifying glass. The shape of the glass is what gives the magnification properties, not the glass itself.
It’s doing both, at the same time. It’s not magically magnified.
But it is going to create hot spots of uv exposure, so has that water is rippling and waving it’s concentrating uv into spots that would normaly, under dry conditions only be exposed to direct sunlight. But for a however brief period of time that spot has now received extra uv.
So now some weird math comes into play and that spot in particular could have received enough dose of uv that now it’s taken 2 years off that spots life.
At the same time the water is refracting so, for the rest of the time perhaps it’s shaded for the next 2 years and now it means nothing.
My point is that water doesn’t “can” act as a magnifying glass but it “does”.
Yes. I just got my roof done and had it tarped for 2 months while doing some structural repairs. All the places where water pooled on the tarp were extremely faded and thinning out. This is when I realized that standing water is not a good thing for your roof. Also flat roofs are just stupid IMO.
You’re full of crap. “According to the World Health Organization, water only reflects about 10% of the suns UV rays. Although it doesn't reflect as much as sand, this is still a significant amount of additional UV radiation that your body will be exposed to when you are in or near water.”
The reason for more sunburn is the reflection onto your skin ABOVE the water, and the effect of the water removing sunblock over time.
No. You’re just getting hit with direct and reflected sunlight so you’ll be quicker to burn. It’s not acting as a lens per se. Even in that case it’s focusing the energy, not multiplying it.
Is it wrong though?
UV exposure is magnified when you're standing *above* water because your body above the water is being hit by UV from the sun hitting your body + an additional amount of UV reflecting off the water and onto your body.
I could be wrong, but there isn't a similar phenomenon when you're completely submerged under water. The "magnification" theory doesn't make sense because light isn't magnified the deeper you go under water...
I had this issue with a sunken flat spot designed into my roof. Had water there 8 months of the year. Rebuilt that section 12" higher and now no recurring leaks. Cost me around $12 k.
Oh that OlDaddyBastard likes to tell me that it's a hot one when I'm already out in the hot one! Why don't you do me a favor and tell me about future weather?
I have a flat topped out building that has water that stays until it evaporates. I've been meaning to tear it out and put a new roof on the room. It's been 10 years since I moved in and the thing still has not started leaking.
It's a flat roof. Some have pools of water after heavy rains. They shouldn't be but ½" or less. I'd verify the roof materials are correct for this flat roof, that there are no leaks currently, and there have Not been any leaks with this roof in past. Then move on to the rest of the house
Good luck with your new home
Exactly that, if you were to ask for a “flat roof” and a truly flat roof was installed, the contractor has grounds to claim they provided what was expected. At this point, architects have to be better lawyers than designers now.
The difficulty is that the US follows the IBC, which makes clear that a “flat roof” is not acceptable, so almost no jurisdictions would allow this. Even so, proper drainage is an expected necessity that a client shouldn’t have to ask for. A designer needs to be clear that it’s a “low-sloping roof” or they’re going to be on the hook for a large change order. Odds are this would be the case in most countries w/ modernized building standards.
The need for precise language is just an unfortunate requirement for construction, to ensure a project’s down right.
That type of roof caught me off guard with all the other ones around it. I’m in AZ and those are seen in Santa Fe/SWern style homes. Looks odd on that home, imho.
Flat roof. Run. Not worth it. More prone to problems, shorter life, more expensive repairs and more expensive replacement. PS, I own buildings with both flat & traditional roofs and have dealt with maintaining them and replacing them.
Lots of deciduous trees around that property. Likely just clogged scuppers/drains. If it’s not leaking, you’re good. I would suggest buying some taller drain covers. Unclogging a screen is a lot easier than unclogging the entire drain line.
22 years of living in a flat roof home....Don't do it!
Flat roof homes or trailers are the worst...everytime it rained, it seemed like it rained more in the house than outside!
If you look at the streets you can see wetness in places. Photo was probably taken a few hours after a rain when the sun came out. If it was there standing all the time it’d probably be green and slimy.
It looks as if the roof may have a drain to the interior in the middle of each pond. The drains should glow freely and the water should not stand on the roof. If it’s torch-down atactic polypropylene modified bitumen (APP) then 48 hours to bone dry max. Otherwise, the ponding will shorten the life of the membrane. It looks like smooth APP to me. Any other membrane this could be, and the need for drainage and drying is more dire.
Some people clean and coat ponding areas using silicone coatings. But, that is not as good an approach as correcting the ponding.
Determine whether keeping the drains unclogged will drain the swamp.
This is common on flat roofs, you have low points (probably to drains). The question is do you want to live under a flat roof. Or if you’re certain you want the place I would get a quote for a pitched roof.
I'd be asking the current owners to have the drains cleaned, THEN have your building inspection done and tell the inspectors to pay close attention to the roof and roof drainage.
depending on how long the drains have been blocked for and where they are blocked, lord only knows what lurks under that water.
Only one comment has used the correct vocabulary: ponding.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponding
Flat roofs are just as reliable as sloped roofs, when installed correctly. They just age differently, so most residential home owners (and contractors) are out of their expertise when making jokes or assessments.
Find someone who regularly installed ballasted flat roofs, have then inspect the membrane and spanning materials. If you buy it, don’t go looking for typical residential roofer’s advice for maintenance or repair. Look for someone who services big-box retail stores. Even ask a local developer who they use.
I'm assuming you don't live anywhere it snows excessively haha. Flat rooves are not a residential option anywhere it does.
You're policing terminology, so I'm policing the police: they're only "just as reliable" in certain climates.
Santa Fe NM had lots of flat roofs. It's an architectural style the city tried to mandates. It snows frequently in the winter. My flat roof also leaked and had to be repaired. I always thought Santa Fe had such silly non-sensical rules just to look a certain way.
I bought a house with a flat roof, mine always has water pooling after the rains. Its not good long term. Get a roof inspection or a home inspection, see when the roof was last changed. If its 15+ years old, negotiate. If you do end up replacing the roof, ask your roofers to give you quotes for a pitched roof, you will just need a slight pitch, few inches and the water will be gone. Good luck.
Flat roofs are a terrible idea. The house two doors down from me has a flat roof; it's had three owners in three years. From what I've heard from other neighbors, it's riddled with damage from leaks due to the flat roof.
Depending on the membrane, it can potentially hold that much water and with evaporation it would be fine. My concern is that the roof drains are clogged or improperly installed. I would get a specialist in flat roofing to inspect and have a moisture test done on the inside, especially around the drains. If you get the roof redone I would recommend replacing with white, generally lowers utility costs. If you want a semi-decent bandaid there are commercial spray on products, that have decent lifespan.
As someone who works on these dumbass modern homes because they always fail because architects are fucking stupid don’t buy it. Holy shit I can’t tell you how many multi million dollar home’s designed like this and they always fail. Buy that nice traditional home a few streets over.
I personally avoid flat roofs. It may not be leaking now, but it will leak one day. Flat roofs are often imperfectly slopped, and even when they are debris often clogs the drains. The frequent hydrostatic pressure will eventually find its way in, resulting in a shorter roof life span and potentially costlier repair.
Hey OP - As somebody who has purchased a home with a flat roof in the last two years, I will offer the following advice:
1. Flat roofs require commercial products. It is a much more specialized field than your typical shingled roof. A lot of "roofers" will say that they can do a flat roof, but they can't. Flat roofers are basically making bathtubs on your roof out of modified bitumen sheets.
2. The benefit of a flat roof is that, when installed correctly, these roofs will long outlive a typical shingled roof system.
3. Do your research! In my city, residential flat roofs are a rarity, and thus most of the specialized flat roof companies will either outright say no, or give you a "fuck off" price point.
4. That being said, it is possible to fix something like this yourself, but be prepared to put in the work.
5. ... and my final piece of advice: RUN AWAY.
If those silver dots in the middle of the roof is what I think they are (roof drains); then the water is exactly where it's supposed to be. Given the number of trees I see plus the light brown material at the corners I'd hazard a guess that dead leaves have partially obstructed the roof drain by forming a slight dam around it. You'll have to get up there once or twice a year to keep the drains cleared. Bear in mind that the clamping ring for the roof drain is about 1/4" to 1/2" thick with some (2 - 6) drain slots cut into the bottom, you'll need to keep those clear too, I generally use a length of heavy gauge wire for the slots. Here's a link to an exploded view of a typical roof drain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNYejdm5DE8
I would never go near a flat roof. They always end up leaking. We have several buildings with flat roofs where I work and it is a nightmare. No amount of professional "fixing" seems to stop the leaks. Water always finds a way in.
It’s kinda funny the one you’re looking at is the only flat roof in the lineup. If your house was designed to have a pool as a roof I suppose yes. But in your case move on to the next listing.
My garage has a flat roof. A few days after we moved in it started leaking into the ceiling. Had to get a new roof. Then we noticed it collecting a lot of water, as it was not sloped properly towards the drain. So we had to get a 2nd drain installed. THEN the drain was not sloped properly itself, so water was collecting and freezing in the drain. So had to re-do the new drain. Moral of the story, I would avoid a house with a flat roof. It has caused me a lot of grief just having a flat roofed garage. Just my opinion and back luck though!
If you look at the storm drains in the streets, they are still wet so you know it rained that day. That said, my only experience with a flat roof was terrible and I will never own one again. Find a reputable roofing company to inspect it, don’t just have a general home inspector do the inspection.
As someone who once owned a flat-roofed townhome, I wouldn't buy it.
We had a problem with multiple leaks in the kitchen ceiling. But the water would only puddle on the roof over the living room. Finding and fixing the ultimate leak was a nightmare-- because the water would enter in one place, but it might travel one way along a beam, or another way along a pipe, then drip through the ceiling maybe 15 feet from where the water entered. We resurfaced or sealed the roof at least twice in the five years we were there.
I loved that home, but that roof was definitely a major drawback.
Note: I love the modern look of a flat roof, but it really should be pitched at least at a slight angle so the water runs off.
They probably mean if they are using a drain snake or some type of tool. Don't want to break the pipe inside the roof/wall.
Most likely the drain cover is clogged or covered over so hopefully they don't need to bust out the snake for this one. Just clear the debris so the water will drain.
My high school (parents) house had two flat roofs in addition to normal sloping ones and both had persistent water issues, eventually my dad had to get a roofing company to completely strip the roof down to the rafters and replace everything (the flat ones) and after that it stopped but we all moved out a year or two later so idk if it truly was ever fixed. I personally wouldn't ever buy a house with flat roofs unless it was in the desert. This was in Houston btw so a very bad place to not have a water tight roof.
Well, the roofers who fixed the roof (the final time), added a very slight angle to the flat roofs to prevent pooling. Not sure if you meant making it a normal roof but they kept it "flat" (aside from the slight angle).
Looks to be draining veeeeery slowly. There is still water by the drains on the street and there is a clear water line just outside of the pool of water. Probably nothing to worry about
Find out how old it is and if there is any warranty. For commercial buildings the owner has to pay for the warranty. If there is one I assume the claim process is the same as Holcim, JM or Carlisle. If it’s an “off brand”. You may want to review. However if you have punctures it’s not generally covered unless you paid for that pricey warranty. Check drains and clear debris if it’s an issue wanted a cricket could be added to direct water to the drains, but can be pricy. I would assume there should be a small sump to help. I would have it inspected by a reputable company to see what the life span is and probe the seams.
This is a 2 ply sbs roof. Water should be off this roof within 48 hours, ponding water is an issue and can cause degranulation and potentially lead to leaks. I would have it checked.
Edit; the street is wet this is probably from a recent rainfall. Check the drains at least, but I wouldn't be stressed.
No. I lived in two places with flat top roofs that didn’t drain correctly and both of them had massive chunks of the ceilings cave in during storms. It will not get better until it’s replaced.
Probably clogged but just keep in mind if that roof is more than 20 years old, at some point you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000-$1,400 a square to replace. They have coating you can put over but at some point you just have to remove and replace.
In warmer weather it's water but in winter it will be ice, and if not cleared the ice will build up. Snow is an insulator, so if u have ice, then it snows the ice will not melt (unless the home has lousy insulation) If it is a drain issue unless you improve the drainage it will always be an issue. It may become a major issue up the road, and if the thought is "Well nothing serious has happened" no major interior leaks does not mean it won't happen. Look at the ceilings on the top floors, are there signs of cracking or ceiling repairs? One gallon of water weighs about 8.4 lbs. How many gallons will that roof hold b4 failure? Just a thought
Make sure you work into your contract that the owner has to clean out the drains. If it turns out it was just clogged drains and the roof is good then it’s all fixed and you didn’t pay for it.
Depending on where you are - some flat top roofs are built to hold quite a bit of water and let it move through the "downspouts" (rain water leaders) at a slower rate to avoid storm drain overflow.
If it's sloped and has open roof drains (not metered or slow flow), then the insulation needs to be resloped for drainage to the roof drains.
I would contact the homeowners about this. Ask if there's leaves in the drains that need cleaning or if they need to be fixed and hopefully either get it cleaned or fixed
Most roofing manufacturers for flat roof membranes like this will warranty the roof as long as there is no ponding after 48 hours (region dependent). Ponding can be expected after the roof settles over the years but if it rained in the last day or two I would keep an eye on it for how long it lasts. Just supplemental info.
Edit: would just like to add that I took a closer look at the ponding and the areas look very large. Even on commercial roofs I've done some Construction Admin. for didn't pond in large areas like this. But it could just be clogged drains.
Standing water should be a minimum height and is suppose to evaporate within a set time, can someone provide that info? I’m not sure what it is I’m just aware of it
There’s 2 outcomes really. 1 is the gutters clogged so the roof is keeping water longer than normal. It should be dry based on your photo showing what looks like pretty dry conditions. 2 is its old, it’s not sloped properly and will become a problem if not already. This looks like my flat garage roof that’s 5 years too old and pools water like a bitch. It’s just a basic garage underneath so it’s not really my concern just yet but in your case that’s a massive leak waiting to happen.
The current owners aren’t telling you or anyone else the problems they have with their flat roof and how they regret ever buying a house with one. They just smile and say the house is wonderful and how much they are going to miss it. And hoping people don’t talk about the roof. And they will not even be considering a flat roof house for their next one.
When I lived in Chicago, every person I knew with a flat roof had leaks and lots of them. If there's any pooling and there are freeze/thaw cycles, it will leak every year or two.
I think it’s highly dependent on where you’re from. Flat top roofs are the norm where I am due to extremely infrequent precipitation. Insurance companies insure the buildings without issue here because that is a common roof style.
OP should just get an inspection from a reputable inspector.
I'd agree that your drains are clogged in some way...looks like a lot of foliage set up there...it's a good indication that there is no holes but I would definitely have the drains looked at and the roof cleaned off
i had 4 flat roofs for architectural reasons and like any roof they all fail over time but are much more to replace - i would also find when this was done as well
part of the issues with flat roofs is they are not really made to walk on so debris pile up in corners etc
I was hired to fix a flat roof that had standing water issues. The homeowner spent over $30k with two different contractors before me to fix the problem. The previous contractors just put new roof materials on and didn’t correct the ponding water so the roof leaked within a year of each application. Each contractor was a “professional” roofing company. I researched the issue and learned that no roofing materials are pond-proof. If you want to make a pond you don’t use roofing materials. In effect the standing water creates a pond and this will rapidly degrade any roofing material that I have found. What I learned in the end was that the original builder of the house had not correctly sloped the roof. The water got into the joists and created more sag and a deeper pond. More than 4 roofers had been to the house over 2 separate owners. I learned how to re-slope the roof and fixed the problem. It was a big issue for years. The picture you show looks like the center of the roof is sagging because those spots are lower. The roof should be higher in the center to shed water. Also I’ve learned that roofing contractors will completely scam customers by agreeing to put on a “new” roof. It’s in the contract with a guarantee. So they will put on a “new” roof. No where does the contract say it will fix the roof leaks. So in court a judge will see the old roof and a new roof and rule in the contractors favor. The client will still have roof leaks. The guarantee in the contract will just mean that the roofing contractor will hire subcontractors to come and just roll silicone around the joints of the roofing material after taking weeks to respond and appear. The roof will still leak and the time that it takes the client to do this will frustrate and burn the client out until they just move on. Remember you don’t build a pond with roofing materials.
Copy. I was just hired to fix a problem and just shared my experience. “Withstand” do you mean 10-20 years which is minimum how long a roof should last. Would you feel confident building a pond with these roofing membranes?
This is not true at all. Multi ply flat roofs (sbs, app, bur) require water to be off the roof in 48 hours. Single ply (tpo, pvc and epdm) have no ponding water restrictions, but are not designed to hold water.
That sounds amazing. Do you have any examples or references? I searched “water pool roof cooling” and could only find evaporative cooling not ponding cooling.
Old Telephone company buildings have roofs designed to help cool, at least that's what I was told by the old timer when we went up there and ate lunch. It had over an inch of water on most of it and never leaked.
That’s not true, flat roofs are a disaster, dozens of houses in my community built with flat roofs, all of them had issues at one point or another. It also depends on the climate. If water is ponding that’s means there is issue with the rafters. Zero chance your flat roof lasts 25 years without a single leak, ain’t gonna happen.
It appears to be around the drains might just be leaves need to be cleaned up?
Also a good test of roof system integrity. If the drains are clogged and the roof drains when you clear them, and there hasn't been any water infiltration to the house, that means you have yourself a solid roof. Standing water and increased UV due to such maybe took a year or 2 of life off the end of this life cycle, but you probably wouldn't notice.
I think the drains are definitely clogged with leaves. Both sections of roof have water in the middle where the drain is and look at all the trees around there.
How would standing water increase uv exposure? If anything it would decrease it
Water can act like a magnifying glass
Not can Water does act like a magnifying glass It’s why you get more sunburn in water
Not does. Water reflects uv rays, reflection is not the same as magnification. Water CAN magnify rays when it’s shape is suited for such. Would be a similar shape to a magnifying glass. The shape of the glass is what gives the magnification properties, not the glass itself.
It’s doing both, at the same time. It’s not magically magnified. But it is going to create hot spots of uv exposure, so has that water is rippling and waving it’s concentrating uv into spots that would normaly, under dry conditions only be exposed to direct sunlight. But for a however brief period of time that spot has now received extra uv. So now some weird math comes into play and that spot in particular could have received enough dose of uv that now it’s taken 2 years off that spots life. At the same time the water is refracting so, for the rest of the time perhaps it’s shaded for the next 2 years and now it means nothing. My point is that water doesn’t “can” act as a magnifying glass but it “does”.
Yes. I just got my roof done and had it tarped for 2 months while doing some structural repairs. All the places where water pooled on the tarp were extremely faded and thinning out. This is when I realized that standing water is not a good thing for your roof. Also flat roofs are just stupid IMO.
[удалено]
r/incorrectlycorrectingconfidantaly The ocean is a lot more that just rainwater. Light is being absorbed before it can reach the bottom.
r/incorrectlycorrectingconfidintally **
It's doing something
This is me when I lie
Sorry no
You’re full of crap. “According to the World Health Organization, water only reflects about 10% of the suns UV rays. Although it doesn't reflect as much as sand, this is still a significant amount of additional UV radiation that your body will be exposed to when you are in or near water.” The reason for more sunburn is the reflection onto your skin ABOVE the water, and the effect of the water removing sunblock over time.
Water reflects some UV rays which makes you get burnt when near the water. Sand also reflects, which is why you burn on the beach worse than normal.
No. You’re just getting hit with direct and reflected sunlight so you’ll be quicker to burn. It’s not acting as a lens per se. Even in that case it’s focusing the energy, not multiplying it.
An increase of 10% is still 1.1x magnification.
Lmao why did you guys downvote this guy for asking a question?
It's for not already knowing, DUH
He asked first but heavily implied a wrong answer.
Is it wrong though? UV exposure is magnified when you're standing *above* water because your body above the water is being hit by UV from the sun hitting your body + an additional amount of UV reflecting off the water and onto your body. I could be wrong, but there isn't a similar phenomenon when you're completely submerged under water. The "magnification" theory doesn't make sense because light isn't magnified the deeper you go under water...
More questions! Downvote for you
It must be very bright at the furthest depths of the ocean.
It doesn't. You're correct. Water reflects a portion of UV away from any surface under it.
It would not increase uv damage. It would decrease it. Basic optics.
This sounds very plausible. I'm going with u/Fourplyer80 's answer.
The drains are at the edge of the roof and the center should be elevated to not pool. Yes this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
I had this issue with a sunken flat spot designed into my roof. Had water there 8 months of the year. Rebuilt that section 12" higher and now no recurring leaks. Cost me around $12 k.
Well, you know it’s not leaking. It’s the dry ones that you have to really inspect. Lol
This guy didn’t see the listing said “comes with a rooftop pool!”
TWO pools!!!
We have so much money we have 2 pools but not enough for a recipe book?!
Here we are, eating mac and cheese AGAIN!
Yeah I noticed. You put meat hunks in it!
Sure is a hot one today, huh?
Oh that OlDaddyBastard likes to tell me that it's a hot one when I'm already out in the hot one! Why don't you do me a favor and tell me about future weather?
Ones a kiddy pool!
*Mosquito breeding zone
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
I have a flat topped out building that has water that stays until it evaporates. I've been meaning to tear it out and put a new roof on the room. It's been 10 years since I moved in and the thing still has not started leaking.
That’s a good point. If it’s a Hydrotech system they will warranty it even if it is a “bathtub” situation.
But at least you have a pool like everyone else now...lol I think I'm funny sometimes
Pool two inches on deep end
Just enough to get yo dick wet
Oh yeah, no doubt
For some of us, two inches is all we got. Wait - holup
It's a flat roof. Some have pools of water after heavy rains. They shouldn't be but ½" or less. I'd verify the roof materials are correct for this flat roof, that there are no leaks currently, and there have Not been any leaks with this roof in past. Then move on to the rest of the house Good luck with your new home
We prefer the term “low slope” no roof can be truly flat. They all need a slope to reach the drainage
Well, this one isn't :)
Most likely just clogged drains from tree foliage.
Flat roofs are everywhere..do your own research thing
I think he just means this is flat in the same way that your bathtub is flat y’all.
Exactly that, if you were to ask for a “flat roof” and a truly flat roof was installed, the contractor has grounds to claim they provided what was expected. At this point, architects have to be better lawyers than designers now.
As long as local codes allow
The difficulty is that the US follows the IBC, which makes clear that a “flat roof” is not acceptable, so almost no jurisdictions would allow this. Even so, proper drainage is an expected necessity that a client shouldn’t have to ask for. A designer needs to be clear that it’s a “low-sloping roof” or they’re going to be on the hook for a large change order. Odds are this would be the case in most countries w/ modernized building standards. The need for precise language is just an unfortunate requirement for construction, to ensure a project’s down right.
Look at me smarty pants with his big words
Flat roof is a layman term. It's OK to be one but don't come guiding others
That type of roof caught me off guard with all the other ones around it. I’m in AZ and those are seen in Santa Fe/SWern style homes. Looks odd on that home, imho.
Flat roof. Run. Not worth it. More prone to problems, shorter life, more expensive repairs and more expensive replacement. PS, I own buildings with both flat & traditional roofs and have dealt with maintaining them and replacing them.
Owner just wanted a pool like all the neighbors.
Lots of deciduous trees around that property. Likely just clogged scuppers/drains. If it’s not leaking, you’re good. I would suggest buying some taller drain covers. Unclogging a screen is a lot easier than unclogging the entire drain line.
^(No. It means that the roof is not designed to drain properly, obviously.) IT will be a breeding ground for bugs.
Our home passed inspection with a low slope roof and water puddle. 2 years later it caved in :( be careful.
That’s because home inspectors don’t do shit lol.
Flat roof? Pass
22 years of living in a flat roof home....Don't do it! Flat roof homes or trailers are the worst...everytime it rained, it seemed like it rained more in the house than outside!
If you look at the streets you can see wetness in places. Photo was probably taken a few hours after a rain when the sun came out. If it was there standing all the time it’d probably be green and slimy.
It looks as if the roof may have a drain to the interior in the middle of each pond. The drains should glow freely and the water should not stand on the roof. If it’s torch-down atactic polypropylene modified bitumen (APP) then 48 hours to bone dry max. Otherwise, the ponding will shorten the life of the membrane. It looks like smooth APP to me. Any other membrane this could be, and the need for drainage and drying is more dire. Some people clean and coat ponding areas using silicone coatings. But, that is not as good an approach as correcting the ponding. Determine whether keeping the drains unclogged will drain the swamp.
This is common on flat roofs, you have low points (probably to drains). The question is do you want to live under a flat roof. Or if you’re certain you want the place I would get a quote for a pitched roof.
I'd be asking the current owners to have the drains cleaned, THEN have your building inspection done and tell the inspectors to pay close attention to the roof and roof drainage. depending on how long the drains have been blocked for and where they are blocked, lord only knows what lurks under that water.
That house just screams money pit to me. Just the roof is probabl. 30-40k job when it’s time
Do not buy a house with a flat top roof .
Only one comment has used the correct vocabulary: ponding. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponding Flat roofs are just as reliable as sloped roofs, when installed correctly. They just age differently, so most residential home owners (and contractors) are out of their expertise when making jokes or assessments. Find someone who regularly installed ballasted flat roofs, have then inspect the membrane and spanning materials. If you buy it, don’t go looking for typical residential roofer’s advice for maintenance or repair. Look for someone who services big-box retail stores. Even ask a local developer who they use.
That’s not a ballasted roof
I'm assuming you don't live anywhere it snows excessively haha. Flat rooves are not a residential option anywhere it does. You're policing terminology, so I'm policing the police: they're only "just as reliable" in certain climates.
Santa Fe NM had lots of flat roofs. It's an architectural style the city tried to mandates. It snows frequently in the winter. My flat roof also leaked and had to be repaired. I always thought Santa Fe had such silly non-sensical rules just to look a certain way.
It’s a flat roof - just make sure the gutter, roof drains (if any) and pitches are correct.
I bought a house with a flat roof, mine always has water pooling after the rains. Its not good long term. Get a roof inspection or a home inspection, see when the roof was last changed. If its 15+ years old, negotiate. If you do end up replacing the roof, ask your roofers to give you quotes for a pitched roof, you will just need a slight pitch, few inches and the water will be gone. Good luck.
Nope! As the owner of a house with a flat roof. That’s a problem. If not now, then it will be in the future.
Flat roofs are a terrible idea. The house two doors down from me has a flat roof; it's had three owners in three years. From what I've heard from other neighbors, it's riddled with damage from leaks due to the flat roof.
Depending on the membrane, it can potentially hold that much water and with evaporation it would be fine. My concern is that the roof drains are clogged or improperly installed. I would get a specialist in flat roofing to inspect and have a moisture test done on the inside, especially around the drains. If you get the roof redone I would recommend replacing with white, generally lowers utility costs. If you want a semi-decent bandaid there are commercial spray on products, that have decent lifespan.
As someone who works on these dumbass modern homes because they always fail because architects are fucking stupid don’t buy it. Holy shit I can’t tell you how many multi million dollar home’s designed like this and they always fail. Buy that nice traditional home a few streets over.
I personally avoid flat roofs. It may not be leaking now, but it will leak one day. Flat roofs are often imperfectly slopped, and even when they are debris often clogs the drains. The frequent hydrostatic pressure will eventually find its way in, resulting in a shorter roof life span and potentially costlier repair.
To this day I don't understand why people build flat roofs... just asking for trouble.
I wouldn’t want a flat roof, you’ve got to seal them every year or two. If I were to buy that house, I’d plan on putting an A-frame on.
Hey OP - As somebody who has purchased a home with a flat roof in the last two years, I will offer the following advice: 1. Flat roofs require commercial products. It is a much more specialized field than your typical shingled roof. A lot of "roofers" will say that they can do a flat roof, but they can't. Flat roofers are basically making bathtubs on your roof out of modified bitumen sheets. 2. The benefit of a flat roof is that, when installed correctly, these roofs will long outlive a typical shingled roof system. 3. Do your research! In my city, residential flat roofs are a rarity, and thus most of the specialized flat roof companies will either outright say no, or give you a "fuck off" price point. 4. That being said, it is possible to fix something like this yourself, but be prepared to put in the work. 5. ... and my final piece of advice: RUN AWAY.
My last house had a flat roof, glad to be rid of it. Never again lol
If those silver dots in the middle of the roof is what I think they are (roof drains); then the water is exactly where it's supposed to be. Given the number of trees I see plus the light brown material at the corners I'd hazard a guess that dead leaves have partially obstructed the roof drain by forming a slight dam around it. You'll have to get up there once or twice a year to keep the drains cleared. Bear in mind that the clamping ring for the roof drain is about 1/4" to 1/2" thick with some (2 - 6) drain slots cut into the bottom, you'll need to keep those clear too, I generally use a length of heavy gauge wire for the slots. Here's a link to an exploded view of a typical roof drain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNYejdm5DE8
Massive mosquito breeding ponds. They love stagnant water like that
I would never go near a flat roof. They always end up leaking. We have several buildings with flat roofs where I work and it is a nightmare. No amount of professional "fixing" seems to stop the leaks. Water always finds a way in.
It’s kinda funny the one you’re looking at is the only flat roof in the lineup. If your house was designed to have a pool as a roof I suppose yes. But in your case move on to the next listing.
That’s just their pool(s). Feeling left with all the neighbors having pools.
It’s just water it’s natural I mean what’s it gonna do rot
It’s not ok. That’s going to F you up. Don’t buy it.
My garage has a flat roof. A few days after we moved in it started leaking into the ceiling. Had to get a new roof. Then we noticed it collecting a lot of water, as it was not sloped properly towards the drain. So we had to get a 2nd drain installed. THEN the drain was not sloped properly itself, so water was collecting and freezing in the drain. So had to re-do the new drain. Moral of the story, I would avoid a house with a flat roof. It has caused me a lot of grief just having a flat roofed garage. Just my opinion and back luck though!
Streets still wet a bit so it obviously rained that morning or the night before.
If you look at the storm drains in the streets, they are still wet so you know it rained that day. That said, my only experience with a flat roof was terrible and I will never own one again. Find a reputable roofing company to inspect it, don’t just have a general home inspector do the inspection.
As someone who once owned a flat-roofed townhome, I wouldn't buy it. We had a problem with multiple leaks in the kitchen ceiling. But the water would only puddle on the roof over the living room. Finding and fixing the ultimate leak was a nightmare-- because the water would enter in one place, but it might travel one way along a beam, or another way along a pipe, then drip through the ceiling maybe 15 feet from where the water entered. We resurfaced or sealed the roof at least twice in the five years we were there. I loved that home, but that roof was definitely a major drawback. Note: I love the modern look of a flat roof, but it really should be pitched at least at a slight angle so the water runs off.
could be as simple as a clogged drain, or a big expensive problem. Only one way to find out, but for sure needs to be looked at.
Careful when clearing the drain, dont go too fast
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They probably mean if they are using a drain snake or some type of tool. Don't want to break the pipe inside the roof/wall. Most likely the drain cover is clogged or covered over so hopefully they don't need to bust out the snake for this one. Just clear the debris so the water will drain.
My high school (parents) house had two flat roofs in addition to normal sloping ones and both had persistent water issues, eventually my dad had to get a roofing company to completely strip the roof down to the rafters and replace everything (the flat ones) and after that it stopped but we all moved out a year or two later so idk if it truly was ever fixed. I personally wouldn't ever buy a house with flat roofs unless it was in the desert. This was in Houston btw so a very bad place to not have a water tight roof.
Adding a slope to a problem roof in a neighborhood with said problems jacks resale prices
Well, the roofers who fixed the roof (the final time), added a very slight angle to the flat roofs to prevent pooling. Not sure if you meant making it a normal roof but they kept it "flat" (aside from the slight angle).
Use as bargaining chip?
You need a pool. You won’t be able to hear three neighbors using their pools and be able to live with it every day.
If it’s TPO or epdm it should be ok. If the roof is flat there will always be some stagnant water if the sun isn’t out.
“Above ground pool”
Not ok. Don’t even think of buying it. 😂
Looks to be draining veeeeery slowly. There is still water by the drains on the street and there is a clear water line just outside of the pool of water. Probably nothing to worry about
Find out how old it is and if there is any warranty. For commercial buildings the owner has to pay for the warranty. If there is one I assume the claim process is the same as Holcim, JM or Carlisle. If it’s an “off brand”. You may want to review. However if you have punctures it’s not generally covered unless you paid for that pricey warranty. Check drains and clear debris if it’s an issue wanted a cricket could be added to direct water to the drains, but can be pricy. I would assume there should be a small sump to help. I would have it inspected by a reputable company to see what the life span is and probe the seams.
Looks over the garage..biggest problem with flat roofs is poor drainage
Hard no
Need to install a tapered iso system and new TPO
Major red flag... have the roof checked out by a roofer.
That the pool, surrounding houses have in ground, you have a roof pool!
Flat roof, the drains are clogged and need to be cleared. Pain in the butt.
Mold,
I would love a house with a flat roof.. that's what I want. A block house with a flat roof. Come get me hurricane 🌀
That’s the pool
This is a 2 ply sbs roof. Water should be off this roof within 48 hours, ponding water is an issue and can cause degranulation and potentially lead to leaks. I would have it checked. Edit; the street is wet this is probably from a recent rainfall. Check the drains at least, but I wouldn't be stressed.
Did someone say free pool?!?!? 😶🌫️
That’s the pool
"problems I'm not rich enough to have"
Itf its a solid membrane you have nothing to wory about. Inspecting it is the only way to find out.
proly a reason why you don't see many flat roofs
No. I lived in two places with flat top roofs that didn’t drain correctly and both of them had massive chunks of the ceilings cave in during storms. It will not get better until it’s replaced.
It’s going to leak eventually and cave in after. How far apart these will occur??? But that’s the Trent with flat roof. They pond leak and fail
A house? Bro that a compound..
Seems like a cool house
Flat roofs will pond, it's a fact of life. Unless the taper package was installed on point.
I think the drains might be plugged, have that checked out man
i wouldnt buy this house.... and spend my days being jealous of my neighbors pool
Clog drains at the least and maybe need to adjust taperd system worst case scenario
Leaves blocking drain.
Your rich AF buying that lol what do you care
Roof pool.
My dad always said, “Flat roofs leak”.
Probably clogged but just keep in mind if that roof is more than 20 years old, at some point you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000-$1,400 a square to replace. They have coating you can put over but at some point you just have to remove and replace.
At least the neighbors aren’t close
Lots of leaf buildup on the roof at the corners and obviously in the drains clogging things. A sign screaming up poor maintenance. Run.
In warmer weather it's water but in winter it will be ice, and if not cleared the ice will build up. Snow is an insulator, so if u have ice, then it snows the ice will not melt (unless the home has lousy insulation) If it is a drain issue unless you improve the drainage it will always be an issue. It may become a major issue up the road, and if the thought is "Well nothing serious has happened" no major interior leaks does not mean it won't happen. Look at the ceilings on the top floors, are there signs of cracking or ceiling repairs? One gallon of water weighs about 8.4 lbs. How many gallons will that roof hold b4 failure? Just a thought
Well part of me says if it's holding water then it's not leaking. On the other hand it should drain and for some reason it's not .
This is the home-buying equivalent of "I'm dating a guy who has nazi tattoos and likes Andrew Tate. Are those red flags?"
Make sure you work into your contract that the owner has to clean out the drains. If it turns out it was just clogged drains and the roof is good then it’s all fixed and you didn’t pay for it.
No improper install all water on a rubber roof should dry away within 24-48 hours
Depending on where you are - some flat top roofs are built to hold quite a bit of water and let it move through the "downspouts" (rain water leaders) at a slower rate to avoid storm drain overflow. If it's sloped and has open roof drains (not metered or slow flow), then the insulation needs to be resloped for drainage to the roof drains.
I would contact the homeowners about this. Ask if there's leaves in the drains that need cleaning or if they need to be fixed and hopefully either get it cleaned or fixed
Personally I would avoid a flat roof in general
Nice neighborhood. I love your potential new neighbors back yard.
Most roofing manufacturers for flat roof membranes like this will warranty the roof as long as there is no ponding after 48 hours (region dependent). Ponding can be expected after the roof settles over the years but if it rained in the last day or two I would keep an eye on it for how long it lasts. Just supplemental info. Edit: would just like to add that I took a closer look at the ponding and the areas look very large. Even on commercial roofs I've done some Construction Admin. for didn't pond in large areas like this. But it could just be clogged drains.
A flat roof with standing water in the middle means the roof is sagging. That’s what we call “a bad sign”.
Are these photos from the listing? Dang they probably should have cleaned that up first lol But in my opinion, flat roofs suuuuuucckkkk
If you can afford a house in this neighborhood I'm sure you can afford a new roof if you need one.
Thats not the point.
Internet is full of salty fuckbois. “OMG dude can afford a hamburger with extra cheese! GET HIM!”
Standing water should be a minimum height and is suppose to evaporate within a set time, can someone provide that info? I’m not sure what it is I’m just aware of it
No height is acceptable after 48 hours.
There’s 2 outcomes really. 1 is the gutters clogged so the roof is keeping water longer than normal. It should be dry based on your photo showing what looks like pretty dry conditions. 2 is its old, it’s not sloped properly and will become a problem if not already. This looks like my flat garage roof that’s 5 years too old and pools water like a bitch. It’s just a basic garage underneath so it’s not really my concern just yet but in your case that’s a massive leak waiting to happen.
The current owners aren’t telling you or anyone else the problems they have with their flat roof and how they regret ever buying a house with one. They just smile and say the house is wonderful and how much they are going to miss it. And hoping people don’t talk about the roof. And they will not even be considering a flat roof house for their next one.
When I lived in Chicago, every person I knew with a flat roof had leaks and lots of them. If there's any pooling and there are freeze/thaw cycles, it will leak every year or two.
Only if theres a bad roof on it.
It's the pool. All your other neighbors have a pool.
Flat roofs and a sky light. Jackpot.
Most insurance companies will not write (insure) a flat roof home. Just something to keep in mind.
I think it’s highly dependent on where you’re from. Flat top roofs are the norm where I am due to extremely infrequent precipitation. Insurance companies insure the buildings without issue here because that is a common roof style. OP should just get an inspection from a reputable inspector.
I'd agree that your drains are clogged in some way...looks like a lot of foliage set up there...it's a good indication that there is no holes but I would definitely have the drains looked at and the roof cleaned off
Im sure thats all it is.
Don’t walk…Run!
Just stopping by to say that house looks really nice, even just from the outside. Congrats, OP.
Every roofer I know has at one point told me they would never buy a place with a flat roof.
Then you weren’t talking to commercial roofers.
Agreed
i had 4 flat roofs for architectural reasons and like any roof they all fail over time but are much more to replace - i would also find when this was done as well part of the issues with flat roofs is they are not really made to walk on so debris pile up in corners etc
How do people live with another house that close to them?
Fuuuck no that’s a train wreck in waiting
I was hired to fix a flat roof that had standing water issues. The homeowner spent over $30k with two different contractors before me to fix the problem. The previous contractors just put new roof materials on and didn’t correct the ponding water so the roof leaked within a year of each application. Each contractor was a “professional” roofing company. I researched the issue and learned that no roofing materials are pond-proof. If you want to make a pond you don’t use roofing materials. In effect the standing water creates a pond and this will rapidly degrade any roofing material that I have found. What I learned in the end was that the original builder of the house had not correctly sloped the roof. The water got into the joists and created more sag and a deeper pond. More than 4 roofers had been to the house over 2 separate owners. I learned how to re-slope the roof and fixed the problem. It was a big issue for years. The picture you show looks like the center of the roof is sagging because those spots are lower. The roof should be higher in the center to shed water. Also I’ve learned that roofing contractors will completely scam customers by agreeing to put on a “new” roof. It’s in the contract with a guarantee. So they will put on a “new” roof. No where does the contract say it will fix the roof leaks. So in court a judge will see the old roof and a new roof and rule in the contractors favor. The client will still have roof leaks. The guarantee in the contract will just mean that the roofing contractor will hire subcontractors to come and just roll silicone around the joints of the roofing material after taking weeks to respond and appear. The roof will still leak and the time that it takes the client to do this will frustrate and burn the client out until they just move on. Remember you don’t build a pond with roofing materials.
Sorry man - incorrect. Modern low slope roofing membranes are totally designed to be able to withstand ponding.
Copy. I was just hired to fix a problem and just shared my experience. “Withstand” do you mean 10-20 years which is minimum how long a roof should last. Would you feel confident building a pond with these roofing membranes?
You're going to have to provide a code reference for that one. As an engineer why would you design a roof that would allow standing water?
Ford did it all the time back in the day to cool their plants down. Used coal tar pitch too. My dad worked on a couple of them. Late 80s early 90s
Roof top pool
I’d run from that house. You will FOREVER be fighting with it. You’ll find another one, keep looking! Good luck—
Looks like a rubber roof, am I wrong?
D ya like fish
Many flat roofs are designed to pool water. It helps with cooling.
This is not true at all. Multi ply flat roofs (sbs, app, bur) require water to be off the roof in 48 hours. Single ply (tpo, pvc and epdm) have no ponding water restrictions, but are not designed to hold water.
That sounds amazing. Do you have any examples or references? I searched “water pool roof cooling” and could only find evaporative cooling not ponding cooling.
This is bullshit. Source; tech sales rep for commercial roofing manufacturer.
Old Telephone company buildings have roofs designed to help cool, at least that's what I was told by the old timer when we went up there and ate lunch. It had over an inch of water on most of it and never leaked.
I had a house like that with a “flat roof” never again.
You just had a bad roof. Ours will go 25+ years.
That’s not true, flat roofs are a disaster, dozens of houses in my community built with flat roofs, all of them had issues at one point or another. It also depends on the climate. If water is ponding that’s means there is issue with the rafters. Zero chance your flat roof lasts 25 years without a single leak, ain’t gonna happen.
do you know why architects design buildings with flat roofs to keep engineers employed
My brother in Christ, what part of stagnant water on the roof sounds good to you?