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I have a flat roof in Seattle -- no, flat roofs do not always leak. But they do require you keep your drainage clear (something a sloped roof homeowner can get
by nostromo 2y ago
I have a flat roof in Seattle -- no, flat roofs do not always leak. But they do require you keep your drainage clear (something a sloped roof homeowner can get away with ignoring).
Modern membrane roofs last longer, leak less, and are more energy efficient.
- WalterBright 2y agoGood luck! Are you sure about energy efficiency? A properly designed peaked roof can make use of the "stack effect" to keep it cool. The slope accelerates the breeze, and sucks the hot air out of the ridge vent (or cupola). The attic still gets hot, but that gets hot instead of the upper floor.
- throwaway48476 2y agoThe requirements for new built houses are much stricter for air tightness and insulation. Instead of using wind cooling they have AC.
- WalterBright 2y agoAlso all the rooms have at least 2 opening windows so cross-ventilation works. It's pretty obvious - open one window and nothing happens. Open both, and ahhhhhh!
- throwaway48476 2y agoI open opposite windows and leave the doors open upstairs. With a fan in one of the windows it can drop the temperature by >10 degrees in an hour.
- WalterBright 2y agoYou can get a box fan from the thrift store for $10. They help a lot indeed!
- nostromo 2y agoAsphalt shingles are awful in terms of insulation. They absorb heat in the summer and bleed heat in the winter. Membrane roofs are better for both. Asphalt shingles are such an out-dated technology, people should really try to avoid them on new builds. They don't last long, the thermal characteristics are bad, and they're prone to leaks.