We have an old, leaky flat roof. Rolled roofing material with a slight pitch. I patched a section a few years ago with a roofing tar, and we stopped the leaks, but it is time to make a permanent fix.

Problem: half of the roof has a deck on top of it. The half with deck has not yet leaked. The deck is basicly laid on top of the roof in two sections; it looks like we might possibly lift the deck with hydraulic lifts, though it would be pretty complicated. We might be able to get in to sections under this deck. The deck itself is in fair condition; probably not worth trying to salvage if we rip it apart, and the railings don't meet current code.

Our kitchen is underneath, so we need a really good and durable roof.

It sounds like our only "smart" choice is to bite the bullet, pull out the deck, and do the whole thing over. If we do this, our cost is pretty high.

Are we likely to find any viable alternatives?

For the roof itself, what is the best & most durable type of roofing we can get for a slightly sloping roof in the Northeast?

Thanks.

 

I think you already know the answer. yes to do it right, take off the deck, strip the roof and re-roof. For only a slight pitch, I would use metal roofing. It will last forever.

 

Thanks for the reply ... oh well, so much for that trip to Hawaii!