Flat roof (roof terrace)

In Greek building language a flat roof is called a "doma", but everyone calls it the "taratsa". It is the top reinforced-concrete slab of the building, usually edged with parapetsParapetThe low wall around the edge of a flat roof or balcony. The joint between it and the floor is one of the most common places for leaks., and it often carries solar water heaters, tanks, aerials and air-conditioning units. In everyday Greek, "doma" also means the small room built on top of a flat roof.

Because it takes direct sun, rain and big swings in temperature, a flat roof needs waterproofingWaterproofingThe work and materials that stop water getting through on flat roofs, balconies, bathrooms, basements, planters and tanks. and, ideally, thermal insulationThermal insulationA layer of material that lets heat through only slowly, so a home keeps its warmth in winter and stays cool in summer.. It also needs proper falls, so water runs off to the floor drainsFloor drainThe outlet in a floor where water drains away on roofs, balconies and in bathrooms, with a grate on top and usually a trap below. and guttersGutter and downpipeThe channel and pipe that collect rainwater from a roof and carry it down to the ground or the drains. instead of pooling.

The most vulnerable spots are the corners at the parapets, the bases of railings and water heaters, pipes that pass through the roof, and the drains. A check after heavy rain and clearing leaves and soil from the drains prevent many problems in the flat below.