Flat roofs are beneficial in many aspects but also cause negative consequences, which, upon negligence, may cause serious problems; what can be the issues?
Have you noticed water puddles over the rooftop after it rains and stays for days? Those can be water ponding, but are you searching for remedies for water ponding on a flat roof?
We have brought in the best handy guide with the top 5 easy fixes to help you clear the water ponding issues and prevent them from occurring in the future.
Remedies for Water Ponding on Flat Roof
Multiple handy remedies are variable to fix and prevent water ponding issues; among them, the top 5 treatments we brought in include the use of filler and the proper drainage system, if preset that flushing becomes necessary.
Alongside the rigid crickets and membrane replacement, users can try other fixes based on water ponding conditions. To know in-depth about each fix, follow the guide!
What do you mean by water ponding? Briefly Explained
Flat roofs are constructed using various materials, but in case the material isn’t adequately crafted or in case of the poor water drainage system on the rooftop.
Then, there may be a chance that when it rains, the water may remain on the rooftop, causing it to stand and not get adequately drained.
When water remains stagnant for almost 48 hours or 02 days, that seems to be water ponding and has certain disadvantages to your rooftop.
The reason for water bonding can be discussed later, but for now, understanding the water pounding is necessary to get it remedied. What if the water remains for 12 hours?
Will that be considered water ponding? No, it won’t because the National Roofing Contractors Association states that when the water remains on the rooftop for almost 48 hours, it becomes water ponding.
The duration may increase, causing negative consequences like mold growth, etc.
Primary Causes of Water Ponding
- Poor drainage system
- Block drainage system
- Unavailability of water drainage system
- Uneven rooftop surface/ poorly designed rooftop
- Sagging due to older construction
- Poor flashing material
Water Ponding Remedies- 05 Easy Fixes
1. Use of filler
Carrying out roof filing techniques and materials to fix the flat roof gets a hassle.
Still, many self-applying fillers as remedies for water ponding on flat roofs are available that provide ease of application and better protection, making the surface even and preventing water ponding.
One of the US-only fillers includes the green slop that is available in bucket style and fixed around approximately 1m wide and long,18mm deep hole. Variation is possible.
2. Fix Drainage Issues
The main reason for water ponding can be drainage issues that must be tackled. If the drainage isn’t available, try installing one to prevent water ponding.
Flushing and clearing are crucial for existing drainage to allow the excess water to drain off adequately.
The clogged drainage may be because of leaves, sticks, and many others because the rooftop is prone to many factors.
3. Install additional drainage lines
For users, if a single functional drain isn’t enough to remove water, then installing a max 02 can be a remedy for water ponding.
To keep drainage actively available, fix the flat surface known spots to prevent drainage from getting clogged.
4. Incorporation of Crickets
Crickets are important when water ponding occurs at sites like chimneys, where water self-drainage becomes complicated and standing water chances are high. So, installing crickets would cause better drainage.
The rigid crickets cause water flow diversion to the site from where drainage seems possible. 
5. Replacing surface coating/ membrane
When the users neglect the water ponding issue, there might be a chance that the roof surface membrane deteriorates, causing leakage, so 02 fixes are expected.
First, try to eliminate the water ponding issues from any of the above methods; the second one is replacing the coating with a water-resistant one to lower the chance of leakage.
Conclusion
We hope you have found the best remedies for water ponding on a flat roof in the above-said section.
The most common cause can be drainage issues or uneven roof surfaces, so always try to fix that to fix the water ponding issue.
To adequately remove the water from flat roof surfaces, a minimum of 02 drains, each having 10,000 square feet, should be built to actively drain rainwater without leading to water ponding or water stagnation.
Arthur is a skilled roof worker with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He started his career as an apprentice and worked his way up to become a foreman.
When he’s not working on roofs, John enjoys with his family or writing posts. He is also a passionate cyclist.