The flat roof over your back porch or garage has been giving you trouble. Water sits on it for days after a storm, there’s a bubble in the surface you keep meaning to look at, or a stain has crept across the ceiling below. Shingles never seemed to work up there, and you’re not sure what should go on instead.
Flat roof installation in Shawnee, KS is its own trade. A roof with little or no slope can’t shed water the way a pitched shingle roof does, so it needs a different kind of material and a lot of care at the seams, edges and drains.
APC Roofing is a GAF Certified roofing contractor, licensed and insured, with an office in Shawnee. We install flat roofs on homes and light commercial buildings, and the estimate is free. Call 913-398-5020 to have your roof looked at.
Where flat roofs show up on Shawnee homes
Most houses around Shawnee and Lenexa have pitched shingle roofs, but plenty have a low-slope section somewhere. Common spots include:
- Covered porches and patios
- Attached garages and carports
- Additions and sunrooms
- Dormers and areas between two higher roof sections
Small commercial buildings, offices and shops in the area often have flat roofs over the whole building. For bigger commercial jobs, see our commercial roofing in Shawnee page.
Why shingles fail on a flat roof
Shingles work by overlapping, so gravity pulls water down and off the roof. On a very low slope, water moves too slowly and wind can push it back up under the overlaps. That’s why so many porch and garage roofs that were shingled leak in heavy rain. A low-slope roof needs a membrane, a continuous waterproof sheet, instead.
Your flat roof options
TPO
TPO is a single-ply membrane, usually white, with seams that are heat-welded together into one solid sheet. The light color reflects summer sun, which can keep the room underneath cooler. It’s a common pick for both homes and commercial buildings. Learn more on our TPO roofing in Shawnee page.
EPDM
EPDM is a black synthetic rubber membrane. It stays flexible in the cold, which suits Kansas winters, and it’s been used on flat roofs for decades. Seams are joined with special tapes and adhesives. For more, see our page on EPDM roofing in the Kansas City area.
Built-up and modified systems
Older flat roofs around the Kansas City area are often built-up roofs, made of layers of asphalt and felt. Some low-slope roofs use modified bitumen, a rolled asphalt membrane. When one of these wears out, many owners switch to TPO or EPDM.
We’ll explain the trade-offs for your roof and help you pick the right one.
What goes into a flat roof installation
Drainage comes first
The biggest enemy of a flat roof is standing water. A good installation makes sure water moves to a drain, a scupper or a gutter. Sometimes that means adding tapered insulation to build a slight slope into the roof. Water that sits for more than a couple of days after rain is a sign the drainage needs work.
A solid base
The old roof comes off, and the decking gets checked. Soft or rotted boards are replaced before the new system goes on. Insulation board, if used, goes down next.
The membrane and seams
The membrane is rolled out and attached, and the seams are welded or sealed. Seams are where most flat roofs fail, so this step can’t be rushed.
Edges, walls and penetrations
Edge metal holds the membrane down against wind. Where the flat roof meets a wall or a higher shingled roof, the membrane runs up the wall and gets flashed. Every vent pipe or other opening gets its own flashing. Getting the tie-in to your main roof right is one of the most important parts of a porch or addition roof.
What Kansas weather means for a flat roof
Kansas puts flat roofs through a lot. Spring hail can bruise or puncture a membrane. Wind pulls at the edges. In winter, water that ponds on the roof freezes and thaws over and over, working at seams. Summer sun beats down on the surface all season.
A properly installed membrane with good drainage handles all of this much better than shingles or old roll roofing.
How it works with APC Roofing
- Book your free inspection. Call 913-398-5020 or request a free estimate online.
- Get a clear, honest assessment and estimate. You’ll see photos of your current roof and get a written estimate with your membrane options. Financing is available through Aqua Finance, Fortifi, Hearth and Home Run Finance.
- Your flat roof gets installed and the site gets cleaned up. The crew installs the new system and hauls away the old material.
Flat roof questions
Can my porch roof be repaired instead?
Sometimes. If the problem is one seam or one damaged spot and the rest is sound, a repair may be enough. Our flat roof repair in Shawnee page covers that.
TPO or EPDM: which is better?
Both work well. TPO’s white surface reflects sun and its seams are welded. EPDM handles cold well and has a long track record. The right choice depends on your roof and what’s around it.
Is some standing water normal on a flat roof?
A little after a storm is common, but water that’s still there a couple of days later points to a drainage problem worth fixing.
Do you install flat roofs on commercial buildings too?
Yes. We install flat and low-slope systems on light commercial buildings as well as homes.
A dry porch, a dry garage, no more buckets
You shouldn’t have to sweep water off your porch roof after every storm. Call 913-398-5020 or book your free inspection online. Once your new flat roof is on, the room below stays dry and you can stop watching the forecast.
