The rain season is here in SoCal, and that means it is time to check your roof and storm drains.
We took this picture while inspecting a client’s roof for a new Tenant Improvement project in a building they recently purchased, and it reminded us that it’s time for a public service announcement.
In Southern California, we have the perfect storm (pun intended) – dry, dusty weather followed by intense rain – for drain problems, which, if left unmaintained can turn into much larger, more expensive issues
After storms, and with time, a building’s roof drains, overflow drains, and storm drains can become clogged with debris that’s been accumulating on your roof and in your parking lot. When we get our first rain of the season, all that debris, plus dust, dirt and silt, flows into your drain and clogs the inlet and filters. That in turn causes water to overflow and find it’s way past the flashing and into the building – down walls or into the ceiling. That’s the best case. The worst case is it starts to pool, and the added weight starts to deform or buckle your roof.
The real issue is that it’s cumulative. As more water backs up and pools, it adds more weight, which deforms the roof more and creates new places for water to seep in. As you can see in the pictures, there’s standing water on the roof, and this is a few days after the very brief rain we had this month.
The good news is that it’s easy, and relatively inexpensive, to maintain your drains and keep them in top condition. We offer maintenance services for our clients to keep your building in top shape, and safeguard your investment. With a little luck, and some regular maintenance, we’ll get some much needed rain in Ventura and Santa Barbara county this winter, and your roof and storm drains will do their job and keep water away from your building.
If you’d like us to send someone to inspect your storm and roof drains, call us at (805) 910-8300 or email us at info@andercon.net and we can send you a quote.