It’s not perfect, but way better than tearing up the whole deck. Anyone else get weird pooling right at the edge where the parapet meets the roof?
That edge by the parapet is notorious for pooling, especially after a hose test. I’ve seen it on plenty of flat roofs—sometimes even when the plans look perfect on paper. Tapered insulation helps, but if the slope isn’t just right at that transition, water loves to hang out there. Have you checked if there’s any blocked scupper or drain nearby? Sometimes debris piles up right at those edges and makes the problem worse. I’ve had to add a cricket or two in that exact spot to guide water away. Not always pretty, but it’s better than standing water and leaks.
I’ve had to add a cricket or two in that exact spot to guide water away. Not always pretty, but it’s better than standing water and leaks.
Funny you mention crickets—last spring I was patching up after a hailstorm and found out the hard way that a small cricket near the parapet made all the difference. Before that, I’d get this stubborn puddle every time it rained. Even with decent slope, that edge just loves to hold water. Sometimes I think the plans never quite match what happens once the roof’s actually built... Nature just finds those low spots. Adding a cricket wasn’t pretty, like you said, but it saved me from another round of leaks.
Crickets really are the unsung heroes of roof drainage. I’ve run into the same issue—plans look perfect on paper, but once you’re up there, water just finds its own path. It’s wild how even a slight dip or uneven spot can create a puddle magnet, especially near parapets or where the slope flattens out. I used to think a well-designed slope would take care of everything, but after a few seasons of pooling and some minor leaks, I realized it’s just not that simple.
When I was prepping for my green roof install, drainage was honestly my biggest headache. I wanted to avoid any standing water under the growing medium because that’s just asking for root rot and membrane trouble down the line. Ended up adding a couple of crickets in spots that didn’t even look problematic at first glance. It wasn’t pretty—kind of looked like someone tried to build speed bumps out of insulation—but it did the trick. Once the plants filled in, you couldn’t even tell.
One thing I’d add: with green roofs, you have to be extra careful about those low spots because the extra weight from wet soil can really stress the structure if water collects there. Plus, if you’re dealing with local codes or inspections, they’ll want to see solid drainage plans. I had to show detailed drawings of all my crickets and drains before getting approval.
Funny enough, after all that work, my neighbor went with a “perfectly flat” roof (his words) and now he’s got algae stains everywhere from standing water. Sometimes ugly fixes are just smarter in the long run.
If anyone’s considering a green roof, don’t underestimate how much those little details—like crickets—matter for keeping things dry underneath. It’s not glamorous work but it saves so much hassle later on.
Crickets are definitely underrated—most folks don’t realize how much they matter until water starts pooling in weird spots. I’ve seen even a tiny low area cause headaches, especially with green roofs. Out of curiosity, did your inspector have any pushback on the cricket placement or just want the drawings? Sometimes they get really picky about how you handle drainage details.
Funny you mention picky inspectors—had a job last fall where the city guy actually brought a level to check my cricket slopes. Not just the plans, either. He wanted to see the membrane laid out, the insulation cuts, even how I tied the cricket into the scupper. I get it, though. With green roofs, one little dip and you’ve got a puddle that never dries out, and suddenly you’re dealing with root rot or leaks showing up in the weirdest spots.
On that project, we had a low area behind a skylight that looked harmless on paper. But after a big rain, water just sat there, creeping under the growing medium. Took us two tries to get the cricket right—first time, the slope was just shy of what the code wanted. Inspector flagged it, and honestly, I’m glad he did. Would’ve been a nightmare down the road.
I’ve noticed some inspectors only care about the drawings, but others want to see every step. Depends on the city and sometimes even the individual. One guy in our area is notorious for pulling out red pens over half-inch differences. Another barely glances at anything as long as there’s a drain nearby.
If I had to pick, I’d rather deal with the nitpicky ones upfront than get callbacks for leaks a year later. Especially with all the extra weight and moisture from green roofs—you can’t cut corners on drainage. Still, sometimes I think they go overboard. Had one ask for a full mock-up just to prove the cricket would work with an oddball roof pitch. That felt like overkill, but at least we haven’t had any issues since.
Long story short: crickets are a pain to get right, but they save you so much grief in the long run. I’d rather spend an extra day fussing with foam and membrane than chase leaks after everything’s planted and pretty.
