Flat, VERY flat extension roof....

Hi everybody we have just finished a gut reno on a stuy heights house. Now that i’m in i’m noticing the roof of our garden unit extension is really flat. i mean, not sloped or pitched whatsoever. water tends to pool on it after it rains and i’ve even climbed out on it to sweep the water off. We had the roof reflashed and patched but i have to imagine water pooling there is probably not a good thing long term. We want to put a porch over it so we can access the backyard from the parlor floor but i’m wondering if i should first add something to the roof to make it more sloped so water drains off it properly. No structural engineer here but i have to imagine it’s risky to load up the this little roof with anything heavy… anyone have experience with this or am i just being paranoid? thanks sidewalksurfing

sidewalksurfing

in Roofers 9 years and 4 months ago

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sidewalksurfing | 9 years and 4 months ago

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Thanks Jim Hill. this looks really promising….

dazednconfused2 | 9 years and 4 months ago

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Here’s a link to a product that provides drainage attached to the underside of a wood deck. It, or something like it, may work for you: http://timbertech.com/products/finishing-touches/dryspace-drainage-system/

sidewalksurfing | 9 years and 4 months ago

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thanks for the feedback everybody. @ Arkady – that’s what i was thinking, something that would be underneath my deck, but still allow some sort of slope for water to drain off… any recos for me? @ Carmenf – no roofer, the GC just patched it up. if you have a reco for a good roofer i will contact and get a bid… thanks – good to know i’m not paranoid… or rather it’s good that i am paranoid! @ chinatownred – already have a tenant in the garden unit, so i can’t rip open the ceiling to figure out load bearing capacity or construction situation. i’m not planning on letting the roof hold up a deck.

kassie319 | 9 years and 4 months ago

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Find out how the roof is constructed an what the load capacity is, see if it’s feasible to and install a deck on it. If it is structurally possible maybe something to look at is installing a new membrane and correcting the pitch and install code compliant railing and stairs to the garden with no need for a full steel deck.

carmenf | 9 years and 4 months ago

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You are not being paranoid. I would not add weight to a flat roof that is not draining properly- you shouldn’t have sitting water on your roof. Did you have a roofer do the work? They should have corrected the pitch.

Arkady | 9 years and 4 months ago

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Even a very slight pitch can make a big difference. Since you’re planning to erect something above the roof so it needn’t be very strong, I’d look into some kind of retrofit to improve drainage.