Flat roofs just don’t forgive neglect the way pitched ones do.
That’s been my experience too. I live in a spot with pretty average weather, but last spring we had one of those “once in a decade” storms and my flat roof started leaking right above the living room. No trees, no obvious debris—just water pooling in a low spot I hadn’t noticed. I check it more often now, but honestly, it’s more work than I expected.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve seen plenty of pitched roofs fail too—just in different ways. Water can back up under shingles if gutters clog, and ice dams are a nightmare in colder spots. Flat roofs need attention, sure, but I wouldn’t call them a disaster by default. Sometimes it’s just about better drainage design and regular checks, not the roof shape itself.
I’m curious—has anyone else noticed that even with regular gutter cleaning, pitched roofs can still get those weird leaks around chimneys or valleys? I manage a few older buildings with both flat and pitched roofs, and honestly, the flat ones only seem to give us trouble if the drains get clogged or someone skips a maintenance check. Is it just me, or does roof age play a bigger part than shape? Sometimes I wonder if people blame the design when it’s really just neglect or old materials doing them in.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not totally convinced it’s just about age or neglect. My place is only about 12 years old, and the flat roof still gives me more headaches than the pitched one ever did at my last house. Even with regular drain checks, heavy rain seems to find a way in—especially around seams and skylights. Maybe it’s partly the climate here (lots of freeze-thaw cycles), but I do think flat roofs are just more prone to pooling and slow leaks, no matter how on top of maintenance you are.
I hear you on the freeze-thaw cycles—where I’m at, that’s a real pain for flat roofs. Even with good drainage, water just sits longer than you’d think, and those seams are always the weak spot. I’ve seen newer roofs with perfect membranes still get leaks around skylights after a rough winter. Sometimes it’s just the nature of the beast... flat roofs need more babysitting, especially in places with wild weather swings. I wish there was a magic fix, but for now, I just keep a close eye on the flashing and re-seal every couple years.
