You’d be wrong to think that flat roofs only serve an aesthetic purpose. Apart from the modern and contemporary look, flat roofs are also durable and resistant to severe weather conditions. You can also turn it into an outdoor living space or a lovely rooftop garden.
Despite the many benefits, flat roofs have one tiny drawback. Unlike standard roofs, flat roofs don’t incline to allow water to drain from them via gravity. That means you’ll need an elaborate flat roof drainage system to remove water when it rains and snows.
If you design your roof correctly, it’ll have just the right pitch to allow water to drain off. If you don’t, you can always opt for other drainage techniques that work just as well. The type and location of your building will determine which drainage system works best for you.
This post will be looking at what drainage system is the most effective for your flat roof.
Gutters
Gutters are the most preferred drainage system for gable roof and flat roof owners. Gutters allow water from the roof to drain far away from the structure’s foundation. This helps reduce the chances of structural issues with the foundation.
You might be wondering how gutters work with a flat roof, yet they don’t slope. Well, the term flat roof is somewhat of a misnomer because these roofs have a slight pitch. This pitch is barely visible, but it allows water to drain into the gutters.
The gutters will lead the water away from your building and lead it to the ground or storm drains. They are an affordable drainage solution for flat roofs, but you have to regularly clean and maintain them.
Cleaning and maintaining your gutters can get a little overwhelming. To make sure you don’t have to clean your gutters as much, don’t grow shrubs or trees near them. Leaves and branches from these trees might end up clogging your gutters.
Sometimes water that lands on the roof may not flow to the gutters, which can be a huge problem. However, there are a few ways to take care of these problems. If you notice puddles forming at the center of your roof, consult seasoned professionals like Newroofplus.com to take care of the issue.
Scuppers
If gutters aren’t your cup of tea, you can always consider scuppers for your flat roof drainage. Just like gutters, you install scuppers at the edge of the roof. However, scuppers are much smaller and don’t line all edges of your flat roof.
Scuppers remove water from your building and lead it away from it. They’re longer than gutters and have a greater downward angle. The combined effect of the length and downward slope ensures the water flows with a lot of momentum.
The momentum ensures the water flows adequately away from the foundation, and the walls and siding remain dry. Scuppers work best when you have a roof that helps get rid of pooled water. This combination is best achieved by using a tapered insulation system, but there are other ways to do so.
Scuppers are a great way to drain the water away from your roof. However, they don’t work too well with snow. Severe rainfall and snow can also damage scuppers, and you might have to replace them.
Interior Drains
Interior drains are another excellent way to drain your flat roof. As the name suggests, interior drains are drains spread out throughout the middle of the roof in intervals. The drains first lead inside your building and then move outside using a couple of pipes and gutters.
The inside series of drains ensure that water doesn’t pool in the middle of the roof. They have strainers to prevent debris from getting into the drains. You’ll have to ensure that nothing gets through the strainers and that the strainers don’t clog the drains with excess debris.
The strainers also make cleaning the interior drains much easier than cleaning gutters. However, this only applies if your strainers are working as they should. After a while, you’ll have to get rid of the debris on your strainers.
Interior drains aren’t visible from the outside, making for a seamless roof with immense aesthetic value. However, there are a few downsides to interior drains. First, they are more expensive than other drainage systems and require skilled technicians for installation and repair.
True Sloped Insulation
This is an insulation that you place under your roof made from EPS or wood fiber. It’s sloped to allow water to flow from the roof through gravity.
It’s a great drainage solution for buildings under construction but not too good for existing buildings because you first need to tear down the roof before installing it on an existing building.
Professionals install the slope pattern beneath the roof to get rid of water on the roof. It’s the most expensive drainage system among the bunch.
Benefits of a Flat Roof
Flat roofs have a plethora of benefits over conventional roofs. Some of the major benefits of flat roofs include:
Aesthetically pleasing– Flat roofs have a contemporary design that is great to look at. If you want to be the envy of your neighbors, then consider getting a flat roof.
Cost-effective: Flat roofs are less costly than conventional roofs because they require less material and labor. They also have fewer complications compared to other roof types.
More outdoors space: You can use your flat roof as extra outdoor space for leisure or a rooftop garden.
Easier to maintain: Flat roof maintenance is much easier than slanted roofs because all the debris collects on the roof.
Choose a Flat Roof Drainage System That Works for You
When deciding on a flat roof drainage system, take note of the flat roof drainage tips we’ve discussed. Ensure the drainage system fits your budget and can handle your region’s weather conditions. Lastly, make sure you find a reputable contractor for your flat roof drainage system.
Now that you understand how to drain a flat roof, it’s time to read our other posts touching various home-related topics. Keep browsing for more.
