Ponding
Low spots hold water and break down the roof coating. Often caused by settling or blocked openings.
Homeowner guide
Flat Roof Drainage Guide
Flat roofs are everywhere in Albuquerque. They drain well when the roof slopes to the openings, the canales are right, and the parapet tops are sealed.
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How it works
Slope, openings and spouts
A flat roof is built with a slight pitch toward drainage openings in the parapet. Water should leave the roof within a day or two after a storm. Water that sits longer, called ponding, wears out the roof surface.
At each opening, a canale or scupper carries the water out. The parapet walls around the roof need sealed tops, either with stucco in good shape or metal coping.
Common problems
What goes wrong
Short or rusted canales
Water runs back down the stucco and pools at the foundation.
Cracked parapet tops
Water gets into the wall and shows up as interior leaks.
Fixes
How we fix flat roof drainage
- Clear and enlarge clogged roof openings
- Replace or extend canales with proper drip edges
- Add scupper boxes and downspouts where water lands on walkways
- Cap parapet tops with metal coping
- Add rock basins or swales where water lands
