Ponding Water, Roof Drains and Scuppers on Flat Roofs
Why water sits, where it should go, and what fixes it.
ELIZABETH, NJ · BAYWAY
Standing water on a flat roof in Bayway? One call reaches a roofer.
Bayway sits in the southern part of Elizabeth next to Peterstown, toward the Linden line. Like the neighborhoods around it, it's full of two- to four-family houses, many with flat roofs. Larger multi-family buildings have larger flat roofs, and the bigger the roof, the more important it is that water reaches a drain quickly. What you see is a top-floor ceiling stain after a long rain, or puddles you can see on the roof from a neighbor's window. What it usually means is water sitting in a low spot until it finds a seam, or a drain that's partly blocked.

On a three- or four-family, a roof replacement is a bigger job with more tenants to plan around. Ask for a written schedule.
Pages owners here use most: flat roofs, roof repair and leaks, roof replacement, shingle roofs, porch and garage roofs, or finding a roofer.
If puddles stay on your roof for more than a couple of days after rain, ask the roofer about tapered insulation the next time the roof is replaced.
Why water sits, where it should go, and what fixes it.
When a coating buys real time and when it doesn't.