Best Practices for Commercial Roof Drain & Gutter Debris Removal

Kathleen Maxwell

drain on top of roof to prevent flooding

Leaves and small debris may not seem like something that can damage a hardy commercial roofing system, but if left alone these little messes can turn into major problems over time, causing leaks and other damage. Regularly cleaning gutters and roof drains should be an integral part of any roof management program. Here are some tips for keeping those roofs sparkling clean:

Know your draining system

You’ve probably heard of gutters, but what is a roof drain? Roof drains are typically used on large commercial roofs to drain from the interior part of the roof and not just the edges. Whether you have gutters or a roof drain will change the frequency and type of debris removal that your roof requires. A professional roofer should be able to immediately identify which type of draining system a roof uses and to remove debris accordingly.

Safety first

Whether you’re the one going up on the ladder or you paid a professional to do the job, safety is the most important consideration when removing debris from a roof. Proper safety gear like goggles, gloves, and safety tie offs should be employed during the entire process. It’s also important to consider how the debris will be removed. Throwing leaves and sticks off the side of a roof can be hazardous to people below and workers should consider using bags to store the debris and remove it safely.

Watch out for clogs

A debris cleaning is a great time to examine the gutter and drain systems for clogs and wear and tear. When cleaning a roof, you should also water-test drains and gutters to ensure that moisture on the roof is able to escape properly. Check for loose bolts and screws on gutters, and examine flashings, sealants, and seams for problems. Not just any maintenance worker can do this kind of detailed inspection so it’s important to call in a professional at least a few times a year to make sure everything is working properly.

Prepare for winter

What is just a pile of damp leaves in the fall can become a frozen drain blockage during the winter. Small amounts of water pooling can also become an issue as water seeps into a roof and then freezes and expands. Just because roof debris seems innocuous in the summer doesn’t mean it won’t be an issue later on. Anticipating the change of seasons is an important detail in roof maintenance.

To learn more about how Maxwell Roofing & Sheet Metal can help keep your commercial roof debris-free, contact us today.


Search Resources

Popular Tags

2020 2020 commercial roof 24/7 8th & Roast aaron muncie Accounts Payable Administrative Office Coordinator aerial roof moisture survey Alabama anchored article Anchored Client Spotlight Anchored Employee Spotlight apprenticeships architectural design asphalt Baker Twins Real Estate Brentwood Baptist Church budget Budgeting building maintenance building owners building permit new roof building temperatures built-up roofing BUR business owners CDC checklist checklist for business owners Chelsey Cole choosing a roof type Chris Vogl church roofing Clean your roof after a storm clean your roof at regular intervals Clean your roof between seasons Clean your roof throughout the summer client spotlight client spotlights client testimonial clogged drainage cold Colliers International commecial roofing commercial building roof insulation commercial buildings commercial contractors commercial flat roofing contractors commercial investment property commercial metal roofing contractors Commercial Properties commercial real estate Commercial Roof commercial roof budget commercial roof budgeting commercial roof construction commercial roof damage commercial roof inspection commercial roof inspections commercial roof insulation commercial roof leak repair commercial roof maintenance commercial roof maintenance plan commercial roof materials commercial roof problems commercial roof quote commercial roof repair Commercial Roof Replacement commercial roof replacement cost commercial roof replacement process commercial roof replacement quote commercial roof value commercial roofing commercial roofing budget commercial roofing career commercial roofing company commercial roofing construction commercial roofing contractors commercial roofing faqs commercial roofing goals commercial roofing in 2023 commercial roofing in Nashville commercial roofing jobs Commercial Roofing Partner Commercial Roofing Preventative Maintenance commercial roofing questions commercial roofing quotes commercial roofing strategy commercial roofing technology commercial roofing terminology commercial roofs common questions competitive benefits comprehensive roof assessments comprehensive roof maintenance condensation Connection Between Insulation & Commercial Roofing construction construction managers construction misconceptions construction safety Contractor Contractor Warranties contractors cool roof cool roofing cool roofs coronavirus corporate buildings corporate roof cost savings costs courthouse roof COVID-19 customer experience customer service damage dan maxwell Design designer roofs develop talent Do's and Don't of Roof Installations documentation DOL draining system drains Drone Inspections drying durable materials Eco-Friendly Eco-Friendly Commercial Roofing Options eco-friendly roof Elevated roof moisture survey emergency helpline emergency repair emergency service employee appreciation employee spotlight employee training energy costs energy efficiency energy efficient tips energy savings energy-efficient roofing Ensworth School EPDM EPDM roofing estimates estimating estimator Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Fabrication fabricator facility managers fall checklist fall maintenance fall protection Fall Roofing Protection Basics faqs Featured Article Featured Client Spotlight Featured Employee Featured Employee Spotlight federal buildings flashing flat roof forecasting full-service roofing Full-service roofing services general contractor general contractors government agency government buildings government roof bids government roof insulation Grease Traps Green Roof green roofing gutters hail damage heat damage hiring Horrell Company how to get commercial roofing jobs Huntsville Huntsville Commercial Roofing HVAC HVAC systems HVAC units ice ice damage impalement hazards improve performance Indian Lake Peninsula Church industrial building owners industrial buildings industrial flat roof replacement Industrial Owners industrial roof leak repair industrial roof maintenance industrial roofing industrial roofs industrial roofs issues Infrared Moisture Infrared Moisture Surveys inspection inspection plan Inspections Installation Insulation insurance jack ryan jackie sprout John Blue Realty John Maxwell Journey Design Group Kalen Canaday Leak Prevention Leaks licensing light-colored roofs lisa ann parr long-term maintenance long-term roof management longevity of a roof low-slope commercial roof maintenance maintenance plan Manufacturer Warranties manufacturing Martha Walden Material Warranties MAXCare Maxwell Monitors Maxwell Roofing Maxwell Roofing & Sheet Metal Maxwell Roofing Client Spotlight Maxwell Roofing employee maxwell roofing employees maxwell roofing experience maxwell team metal fabrication Metal Roof Metal Roofing metal roofs michael buckingham Michael Cox moisture retention Nashville Nashville Commercial Roofing nashville roof recovery nashville roof recovery systems Nashville Roofing Nashville Roofing Partner nashville winter National Safety Month new career new commercial roof new construction new roof new roof building regulations Next Generation Net Lease ongoing learning opportunities ongoing roof maintenance open penetrations operations OSHA OSHA standards planning for emergencies ponding ponding water pre-engineered metal roofs Prepare Your Roof for Fall and Winter Preparing for winter prevent a roofing emergency prevent seasonal damage preventative maintenance preventative roof maintenance pricing proactive maintenance project manager prolong roof life property management PVC PVC membranes PVC roofing qualified roof technician Quality questions to ask a commercial roofer questions to ask your commercial roofing contractor RCP Companies recovery systems recruitment Recycled or Biodegradable Roof Material regular inspections reliability Reputation Reroofing Project retail store owners Risk Management roof assessments roof budget roof cleaning roof coatings roof construction roof curbs roof damage roof debris removal roof diffusers Roof Drain Debris Removal roof holes roof inspections Roof Installation Roof installation tips roof insulation roof investment roof leak repairs Roof leaks roof life expectancy roof maintenance roof maintenance cost roof maintenance tip roof management roof materials roof performance roof preventative maintenance roof repair roof replacement Roof Replacement Projects roof replacements roof safety roof weatherproofing roof’s lifespan Roofers Coffee Shop Roofing roofing budget roofing care roofing cleaning Roofing Company roofing construction questions roofing contractor roofing costs roofing employees roofing goals roofing industry roofing maintenance roofing materials roofing membrane roofing mistakes Roofing Partner roofing problems Roofing Products roofing projects roofing questions roofing sales Roofing Specialists roofing trends rooftop bar rooftop deck rooftop features Rooftop grease traps Rooftop moisture survey rooftop patio rooftop penetrations rooftop safety routine maintenance safe construction Safety Samples Properties school roof construction school roofing safety school safety seasonal maintenance service account manager service and repair Service Superintendent services severe weather sheet metal sheet metal fabrication singly ply roofing systems skylights Skyline Replacement Skyline Replacement Tips sloped commercial roof snow Solar Panels solar roof Spray Polyurethane Foam spring maintenance state buildings Stephen Marbach storm damage Summer Heat summer kick-off party summer maintenance sun damage superintendent surface hazards temperature control The EDGE estimating software The Woman’s Club of Nashville thermal proofing Thermoplastic Polyolefin Tips for Commercial Roofing TN todd white top blogs top roofing blogs top talent TPO membranes training types of roofing Under-roof moisture survey Valerie Bibee values warehouse roof replacement warranties Warranty waterproofing weather damage white reflective roofs White Roof white roofs wind resistance winter maintenance winter weather winterizing roof

What Do Our Customers Have to Say?


Read Our Reviews