Avenues, flat additions and what the sun does to them
Magnolia Avenue, Arlington Avenue and the SR-91 corridor run through the area, with older shops, offices and apartment buildings mixed in among the houses. Many buildings have flat or low-slope roofs, and some homes have added porches or rooms with a shallow pitch.
Low-slope sections are more demanding than steep roofs. Water moves slowly, seams and flashing carry more load, and the summer sun bakes the surface until it cracks. Metal flashing around vents and chimneys expands and contracts every day, which opens small gaps. A leak that shows up inside the house may start several feet away along a seam or at a rubber boot that has dried out.

