Why do buildings have flat roofs?

Technically, they don’t. The roof may appear flat with no pitch, but it’s actually angled slightly to allow for drainage and water run-off. Also, flat roofs provide the benefit of having additional space for a rooftop patio, garden, or even a penthouse room.

Many commercial establishments prefer this type of roofing because they have someplace out of sight to install their heating and air conditioning units on. If you’re thinking of having a flat roof installed, know that this type of roofing can be prone to leaking. I know this based on experience. Our apartment building here in San Jose CA has a flat roof and we used to have it patched up every few months or so because it kept leaking. We finally got tired of it and had contractors from a roofing company called Shadowfax take care of it once and for all. They even fixed us up with new solar panels. Flat roofs are excellent locations for installing solar panels, by the way.