Flat Roof Scupper Leaks

Small elevated hole at scupper.

Flat roof scupper leaks.

Ponding water leads to leaks. Wide mouth scuppers are the best for draining water off a flat roof. We have a commercial building with a flat roof leaking. However in my own experience the problems with leaking flat roofs are usually as a result of either poor workmanship installing the roof membrane poor maintenance by the building owner or as a result of age.

The one challenge with flat roofing is ensuring proper drainage. Leak on commercial flat roof ponding problems nov 12 2012 mel said. Check out our recommended tools right here. In this case gas bubbles came out of tar and now water can get it.

This scupper is way to small for the size of this flat roof. Flat roof leaks are among the most common and the most undesirable. Poor drainage can lead to serious issues with flat roofing from leaks to structural damage. This is not a roof leak or a scupper leak the crack is near the srupper and water is coming in through the wall.

Unlike other roofing types that are slanted or sloped to allow water to drain automatically flat roofs need a built in drainage system to help remove moisture and debris. This is perhaps all the more true of flat roofs because water doesn t run off of the roof surface quickly and can easily find breaks in the roofing surface resulting in leaks. Leak at base of scupper. Scuppers flat roof repair the cause of a major leak was due to incorrect leader headers on the other side of the wall.

Flat roofs are known as being problematic with many suffering leaks. Open end scuppers allow for debris to be washed off the roof unlike a drain or gutter that gets full of debris. There is one unit where all the water goes down because it the lowest point of the roof. Debris and small objects will not get stuck.

This is a one story building with three units dental offices. Scuppers are perfect for getting water off a roof but if water flow is restricted and water backs up into the scupper again that will cause leaks. Caused by heat cycles and age. The national roofing contractors association defines scupper as a drainage device in the form of an outlet through a wall parapet wall or raised roof edge typically lined with a sheet metal sleeve it is more often seen in apartments and other commercial buildings though is sometimes found in residential homes constructed with flat roofs.

Like any roof in time after wear and tear and weathering flat roofs will eventually leak. Flat roofs that are designed to have scuppers as a drainage system are almost maintenance free.