I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.

On 2/23/2014 7:54 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.


Hope you have a warranty. Sounds like a poor install. Was this a EPDM
membrane? Our roofer used Genflex and after installing, the factory
sends an inspector to be sure it was done right.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 2/23/2014 7:54 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.


Hope you have a warranty. Sounds like a poor install. Was this a EPDM
membrane? Our roofer used Genflex and after installing, the factory sends
an inspector to be sure it was done right.

I just work there. I would imagine (hope?) that the owners/managers of the
building got some sort of warranty. It's a large, well established office
park. I would hope they hired a reputable company.

DerbyDad03 wrote:
I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.

Hi,
I always wonder why they build flat roof? Does it cost less?

On Sunday, February 23, 2014 6:44:15 PM UTC-8, Tony Hwang wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:

I work in a building with a flat roof.
For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.
Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.

Hi,
I always wonder why they build flat roof? Does it cost less?

Not if you include the horrendous cost of maintaining it, patching leaks, having it re-roofed, etc.

Show me a flat roof and I'll show you one that either is leaking or will shortly.

Harry K

"Harry K" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, February 23, 2014 6:44:15 PM UTC-8, Tony Hwang wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:

I work in a building with a flat roof.
For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to
put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations,
etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.
Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic
waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.

Hi,
I always wonder why they build flat roof? Does it cost less?

Not if you include the horrendous cost of maintaining it, patching leaks,
having it re-roofed, etc.

Show me a flat roof and I'll show you one that either is leaking or will
shortly.

Harry K

True they are all ****.
Even the best won't last more than twenty years.
The cheapos maybe ten.

On 02/23/2014 07:54 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put
plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.
as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste
buckets at various spots to catch the drips.


Same here!
I work for a Fortune 50 company in a brand new flat roof building.
It cost $100 million to build...and you guessed it - it leaks like a sieve.

On Sunday, February 23, 2014 9:44:15 PM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:

I work in a building with a flat roof.



For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having to put

plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.



This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations, etc.

as they replaced the entire roof.



Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic waste

buckets at various spots to catch the drips.



Hi,

I always wonder why they build flat roof? Does it cost less?

Do the geometry on a roof for a supermarket, Costco, factory, etc
and you'll have your answer.

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message

DerbyDad03 wrote:
I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks,
occasionally having to put plastic waste baskets at
various spots to catch the drips. This fall we put up with weeks of
noise, odors, parking
relocations, etc. as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain,
we put plastic waste buckets at various spots to catch
the drips.
Hi,
I always wonder why they build flat roof? Does it cost
less?

They are an annuity for roofers.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

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Taxes out of hand? Maybe just ready for a change?
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On Monday, February 24, 2014 5:38:47 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Sunday, February 23, 2014 9:44:15 PM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:


I work in a building with a flat roof.


snip

Do the geometry on a roof for a supermarket, Costco, factory, etc
and you'll have your answer.

Yes it costs more but any savings in contruction is soon eaten up by the maintenance costs.

Our County just a few years ago bit the bullet and spent millions replaceing the flat roof on the school with a peaked roof. At about the same time they also put a couple million into trying _again_ to fix leaks on the flat courthouse and jail roof.

There might be some economic consideration to building a falt vice peaked on huge buildings but why people put them on residences is beyond stupid.

Harry K

Harry K

On Monday, February 24, 2014 10:27:31 AM UTC-5, Harry K wrote:
On Monday, February 24, 2014 5:38:47 AM UTC-8, wrote:

On Sunday, February 23, 2014 9:44:15 PM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:

DerbyDad03 wrote:





I work in a building with a flat roof.





snip



Do the geometry on a roof for a supermarket, Costco, factory, etc

and you'll have your answer.



Yes it costs more but any savings in contruction is soon eaten up by the maintenance costs.



Then all the architects, builders, etc out there using them must
be stupid, because they look at lifecycle cost. Organizations that set
code too, because they allow it. Yet they are being widely used and
have been for 100+ years. With the newest materials, they are more
reliable than ever.

They aren't appropriate everywhere, aren't as reliable as a pitched
roof, but they are appropriate for many applications where the tradeoffs
are acceptable. If they are done correctly, they last a long time. If
they are done half-assed or abused afterwards, then the results will be
different.





Our County just a few years ago bit the bullet and spent millions replaceing the flat roof on the school with a peaked roof. At about the same time they also put a couple million into trying _again_ to fix leaks on the flat courthouse and jail roof.



There might be some economic consideration to building a falt vice peaked on huge buildings but why people put them on residences is beyond stupid.


might be?





Harry K


The thread wasn't about residences, where flat roofs are found infrequently.
But there are good reasons for having them. In a city, where every foot
of usable space costs thounsands of dollars, it gives you a usable
roof deck, for example. Here at the shore, I've seen houses where the flat
roof offered spectacular water views and a perfect place for a party.
Would I put one on a typical suburban house? Of course not. But that
doesn't mean that they don't offer significant advantages for the right
application.

Harry K wrote:
On Monday, February 24, 2014 5:38:47 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Sunday, February 23, 2014 9:44:15 PM UTC-5, Tony Hwang wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:


I work in a building with a flat roof.


snip

Do the geometry on a roof for a supermarket, Costco, factory, etc
and you'll have your answer.

Yes it costs more but any savings in contruction is soon eaten up by the maintenance costs.

Two different budgets.


Our County just a few years ago bit the bullet and spent millions
replaceing the flat roof on the school with a peaked roof. At about the
same time they also put a couple million into trying _again_ to fix leaks
on the flat courthouse and jail roof.

There might be some economic consideration to building a falt vice peaked
on huge buildings but why people put them on residences is beyond stupid.

Not only economic considerations related to roof construction itself, but
it also provides a convenient place to put mechanicals such as AC units,
etc. Not just placement, but ducting, etc. All of that has to be factored
into the project costs also.


Harry K

Harry K

Oh no! Now there are 2 of you! ;-)

Ed Pawlowski wrote in
:

On 2/23/2014 7:54 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I work in a building with a flat roof.

For the past few years we've put up with leaks, occasionally having
to put plastic waste baskets at various spots to catch the drips.

This fall we put up with weeks of noise, odors, parking relocations,
etc. as they replaced the entire roof.

Last week, as everything thawed and we got some rain, we put plastic
waste buckets at various spots to catch the drips.


Hope you have a warranty. Sounds like a poor install. Was this a
EPDM membrane? Our roofer used Genflex and after installing, the
factory sends an inspector to be sure it was done right.

15 year 3 tabs :-)

many companies are giving some ideas for home improvement and repair. but just one company is the best for working on home roof repair and home improvement project , you can apply this if you really need this: http://www.liquidroof.net/liquid-roof.html

No, that's simply not true.

I spent $25,500 in 1991 to have a "sloped roof" put on my apartment block.

A sloped roof is where they make a map of the roof and locate the drain. Then, they divide the entire roof area into 4 foot by 4 foot squares. Then, they cut 4 foot square blocks of polystyrene insulation in a computerized machine that runs a hot wire through the block of insulation, moving that wire in 3 dimensions such that when all the blocks of insulation are assembled in the correct order, the roof slopes gradually (1/4 inch per foot) toward the roof drain.

After the insulation is put on, they put down two layers of fiberboard insulation with staggered joints. That's because the next step is to mop down 4 layers of roofing felt and glue those layers together with 300 deg F. asphalt. The two layers of fiberboard prevent the hot asphalt from burning holes in the roof's sloping polystyrene insulation.

Once the two layers of fiberboard are down, then they start applying the layers of roofing felts. This is also the step where they put cones over all the vent stacks and hoods over all the bathroom and kitchen ceiling fan outlets as well as the hood for the building's clothes dryers.

I haven't had a leak in my sloped roof since 1991. And, anyone who knows anything about flat roofing knows that a sloped roof is the only way to go. That's because for the one time investment of cutting and assembling those 4 foot square pieces of styrofoam insulation, every time you subsequently replace the roof on that building (whether it's a built-up roof or a torch down roof), the new roof will also be a "sloped" roof.

The advantage of having a sloped roof are obvious. After a rain, you don't have huge puddles on the top of the roof; the water all drains to the roof drain. So, if you have a leak in the roof, the water damage is minimal because the water drains away to the roof drain instead of leaking through the roof into the plastic garbage pails below.

This business we have in here with people that know nothing about flat roofs telling others that know even less how bad they are needs to be addressed.
Believe it or not, the only place where stupid people seem to be in the majority is on TV. Everywhere else in life, people all seem to be both reasonable and intelligent. If flat roofs were as bad as they're being described in here, then not one of those reasonable and intelligent architects, builders and roofing contractors would put a flat roof on a building.

The reason there are so many flat roofs is because what you're reading in this forum about them is B. S. Flat roofs are popular because the vast majority of them remain water tight for 25 to 30 years, which is as much as you can expect from a shingled roof.

And, contrary to popular belief, there is as much technology and development in flat roofing as there is in shingle roofing.