Flat roof installation that drains
The single thing that decides whether a flat roof lasts is whether water leaves it. Everything else is secondary.
Drainage first
A flat roof is built with a slight fall, usually a quarter inch per foot, toward drains or scuppers. When that fall is missing or the drains are undersized, water stands. Standing water finds seams, adds weight, and grows the kind of biological mess that degrades a membrane.
We design the slope before we talk about membrane. If the existing structure cannot give us fall, we build it with tapered insulation.
Choosing a system
TPO is our common recommendation for new flat work because of the welded seams and the reflectivity. Modified bitumen still has a place, particularly on smaller residential flat sections and where a torch or self adhered system suits the detail work better.
We will tell you which one we would use and why, rather than quoting whichever we happen to stock..
We will tell you which one we would use and why, rather than quoting whichever we happen to stock.
Details are where it leaks
Perimeter edge metal, curb flashings, drain bowls and pipe penetrations. That is the list. A flat field of membrane rarely fails on its own. Every one of those details is a place where two materials have to meet and stay watertight through years of thermal movement.
What North Texas weather does to a roof
Wind is the other half. Gusts lift shingles at the seal strip and fold them back. They often lay right back down looking completely normal from the ground, but the seal is broken and the shingle now has a crease through it. Finding those takes somebody lifting tabs by hand.
We are in the hail belt, and it is not a marketing line. Spring storms come through most years somewhere in the metroplex, and the roofs we replace are usually not worn out from age. They are worn out from one bad afternoon in May.
We are in the hail belt, and it is not a marketing line.
Hail damages a shingle by fracturing the fiberglass mat under the granules. The bruise frequently does not leak right away, which is the trap. People assume they came through fine, the claim window closes, and two years later there is a stain on the ceiling with no coverage left to address it.
Warranties, and what they actually cover
Manufacturer warranties also have conditions. Enhanced system warranties generally require that a certified contractor install a full system of that manufacturer’s components, not just their shingles with whatever underlayment was cheapest that week. If someone quotes you a fifty year warranty, ask what specifically triggers it and what voids it.
Ask any roofer to put the workmanship warranty in writing with a term on it, and then ask the question that actually matters, which is whether that company will still exist and answer the phone when you need it.
Ask any roofer to put the workmanship warranty in writing with a term on it, and then ask the question that actually matters, which is whether that company will still exist and answer the phone when you need it..
There are two warranties on any roof and people routinely conflate them. The manufacturer warrants the material against defects. The roofer warrants the workmanship. Most leaks are workmanship, not defective shingles, so the second one is the one that matters most in practice.
How a job with us actually runs
When the work is scheduled we tarp your landscaping and the walls before a single shingle comes off. Material gets staged where it will not block you in. The tear off happens, we look at the decking with you if we find anything soft, and the new system goes on. At the end we run magnets over the yard and the driveway more than once, because nails in tires is the thing careless roofers are remembered for.
We come out and look first, and that costs nothing. Somebody gets on the roof, not just in the driveway with binoculars. We photograph what we find, including the things you cannot see from the ground, and then we sit down and go through the pictures with you.
We come out and look first, and that costs nothing.
If there is damage worth filing on, we tell you and we explain what the claim process looks like before you call anyone. If there is not, we tell you that too, and you have lost nothing but the time it took us to look.
The work
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Questions about flat roof installation
What slope does a flat roof need?
A quarter inch per foot is the common target. Less than that and drainage gets unreliable. If the structure will not give it, tapered insulation builds it.
Can a flat roof work on a house?
Yes, and plenty of homes here have flat sections over additions, porches and carports. They need the same drainage discipline as a commercial roof.
How long will it last?
Twenty to thirty years for a quality single ply installed correctly and kept clear of debris. Ponding water is what shortens that number.
Do I need roof drains or scuppers?
Depends on the building. Internal drains handle volume well and need maintenance. Scuppers are simpler and rely on the perimeter. Many roofs use both, with scuppers as overflow protection.
Is a flat roof more expensive to maintain?
It needs more attention than a sloped shingle roof, mostly keeping drains clear and inspecting details. That maintenance is inexpensive compared to what a neglected flat roof costs.
Related
Other flat work we do
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What people say
From customers
We had a great experience with Seth and his team at Ovation Roofing. They were professional, honest, and very easy to work with throughout the entire process. Communication was clear, the work was done on schedule, and the quality of the roof looks fantastic. It’s refreshing to work with a company that does what they say they’ll do. I would absolutely recommend Ovation Roofing to anyone needing roofing work.
Roof replacement customer
Seth came out and checked on our roof and was super kind, quick and efficient. He was very knowledgeable and thorough with explaining exactly what we needed to do and what the process would look like. I had a lot of questions and he answered all of them and made sure I understood the process. I had another quote from a different company and this was a completely different experience.
Homeowner, DFW
Get in touch
Get a straight answer on your roof
Call and you get Seth or someone on his crew, not a call center. We will come out, get on the roof, take pictures, and tell you what we actually see across North Texas, including when the honest answer is that your roof’s got years left in it.
- Phone
817-789-0884 - Email
office@ovationroofs.com - Based in
Haslet, TX - Hours
Mon-Fri 8am-8pm
Sat 8am-4pm
Sun closed