Water still standing on your roof 48 hours after it rained? That’s ponding, and it’s a problem worth solving before it becomes a structural one. Free assessment. 📞 Call 720-828-7997 · 💬 Text 720-453-5095
What Counts as Ponding
The industry standard is water remaining on the roof more than 48 hours after precipitation stops. Anything beyond that is ponding, not drainage lag.
Why it matters in Colorado specifically: ponded water goes through freeze-thaw cycles all winter. Ice expands into every seam and lap it can find, working membrane joints open. A pond that seems harmless in August is a leak by March.
What It Does to the Roof
- Accelerates membrane breakdown — most single-ply systems are rated for water shedding, not immersion
- Adds structural load — water weighs about 5 lbs per square foot per inch of depth, and a large pond adds up fast
- Deflects the deck further, which deepens the pond, which adds more weight — a self-worsening cycle
- Freeze-thaw seam damage through Colorado winters
- Voids many manufacturer warranties — check yours, most exclude ponding
How We Actually Fix It
- Find the cause first. Clogged or undersized drains, a settled or deflected deck, a low spot from a prior repair, or insufficient slope from original construction — the fix depends entirely on which.
- Drainage correction. Sometimes it’s genuinely just adding or relocating drains and scuppers. We’ll tell you when it’s the cheap fix.
- Tapered insulation. Building positive slope back into the low areas so water actually reaches the drains.
- Gaco silicone coating. Silicone is one of the few systems that tolerates standing water long-term — the right call for low-slope roofs that will never drain perfectly.
- Structural repair. If the deck is deflecting, coating over it is a band-aid. We’ll say so.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does ponding repair cost?
Enormous range, because the causes are so different. Adding a drain might be several hundred dollars. Tapered insulation across a section runs into the thousands. A full silicone recoat is priced per square foot. Free assessment tells you which conversation you’re actually having.
Can I just coat over the ponding?
Silicone tolerates standing water better than any other coating, so sometimes yes. But if the deck is structurally deflecting, coating hides the problem rather than fixing it. We won’t sell you a coating over a structural issue.
Is ponding covered by insurance?
Usually not on its own — it’s typically classified as maintenance or a design deficiency. But if a hail or wind event caused the damage that created the low spot, that’s a different conversation and worth documenting.
Get a Free Flat Roof Assessment
📞 Call: 720-828-7997 | 💬 Text: 720-453-5095
Josh Brooks Construction and Renovation Inc. — Longmont, CO | Licensed CON-24-0152 | Since 2014 | Commercial and residential low-slope
