Tis the Season…to Check Your Roof Drainage System

Did you know that one of the major contributors to building leakage is when the draining system becomes obstructed?

Trees, dusty areas, and high wind prone locations can affect your roof and gutter systems. Falling leaves, branches, acorns, twigs, and insect and bird debris can accumulate around drain strainers and in gutter boxes, allowing water to pond on the roof. Leaves that block a drain strainer can allow up to six inches of standing water.

Standing water can then leak through small imperfections in the roof, which may be caused by wind scour from wind borne debris, imperfections in the flashings, or damages resulting from routine maintenance and/or walking on the roof. Once these obstructions begin to add up, they are compounded by additional debris, and windblown dirt and dust which can become captured within the standing water.

Although it seems unlikely, water in your basement or walls can often be attributed to gutter and drain issues. The intent of a gutter is to collect stormwater from a steep sloped roof, and direct it to a downspout. If the downspout or gutter box is filled with leaves, water can potentially sit in the gutter box.

This adds weight to the gutter box, and can cause the gutter supports/anchors to become loose and pull away from the wall, or twist. Water can then drain to unprotected areas below, and often can find its way to the building’s foundation system. During winter months, poorly draining gutters can freeze and may contribute to ice dams.

Since it only takes minutes to clean debris from drains, gutters, and downspouts, we recommend that these areas be cleaned prior to winter and following spring to reduce the potential for leaks and building damages which may result from improper drainage.