Flat standing seam metal roof

[Inspectorjoe]

Today I had a 4 year old house with a crimped standing seam metal roof over the front stoop. This roof is dead level. Stains show that water ponds on it regularly. There are openings at the outer edges of the standing seams, and it looks like water enters at least one of them. This is the first flat standing seam roof I’ve ever seen. It certainly doesn’t seem right.

There are no stains under it, so I’m guessing that there may be an EPDM sheet under the metal, but it’s not visible at the drip edge or the sidewall flashing (assuming that the flashing is there).

I don’t know how big a deal to make of this. I’m leaning towards the universal ‘out’ of recommending further evaluation by a qualified roofer.

Thanks

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[kurt]

This is wrong. Bad wrong. For all the reasons you said.

And, it looks ridiculous. I'd come down on it w/lead boots.

[hausdok]

Hi Joe,

If it's flashed correctly behind that veneer, and there're no signs that moisture has become an issue beneath that portico, I'd say you're guess about the ice and water shield is probably dead on.

Dead flat or not, there's really no place for water to build up significant accumulation on that roof because there's no outboard curb. However, you don't have x-ray vision, so there's no way for you to know for certain what's beneath it, so, in my opinion, that's what you should say.

I don't necessarily think punting it to a roofer for "further evaluation" does you any good. That roofer won't have x-ray vision either. Why not recommend that they contact the builder who applied it, learn more about it and then, depending on what those answers are, take further measures as appropriate?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[kurt]

Ice. That's the problem w/flat metal roofing. If it was in Florida, it would only be stupid & ugly. In Pennsylvania, I'm thinking ice backing water up under that (extremely crappy or non-existent) sidewall "flashing" job.

I went through my metal roofing stuff, & I couldn't find anything that said this was anywhere close to OK. Then again, I couldn't find anything that said it wasn't.

Aren't we allowed to can stuff just 'cuz it looks ugly? [:-eyebrow

[Bill Kibbel]

It's wrong. There's lots of documentaion that says it's wrong. In the absence of manu. specs, the minimum slope is ¼ in 12 for standing seam metal roofs. (Many manufacturers require greater slope.)

[Inspectorjoe]

Kurt, Mike and Bill:

Thanks so much for the speedy replies.

I guess I should be thankful for the dumbass stuff that I see with newer construction. The market's pretty stagnant right now, so at least the Bozo work being done oughtta provide a little job security.