Internal Drains:

If you live in Jersey City or the surrounding areas, you may have a flat roof. Most drainage systems for a flat roof run along the edges of your roof, or you may have something called internal drains. Although commonly found on commercial buildings and/or extremely large flat roofing systems, many residential properties that have flat roofs in Hudson County feature this type of drainage system, as well. Internal or inner drains are used to keep sitting water away from the walls and foundations of your home. Often placed directly in the middle of the roof, these drains feature attached pipes that redirect rainwater down into the roof of your building and outside to keep sitting water at bay. Most times, internal or inner drains have a strainer to catch large debris that must be cleaned out regularly to avoid leaks. If you have an accessible flat roof, clearing out leaves and other debris from your internal/inner drains is an easy task that can help to avoid unnecessary pooling water that can eventually cause leaks.

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Scupper Boxes:

Another common type of drainage system found on many flat roofs are scupper boxes. Scupper Boxes are custom-fabricated drainage tubes that are used to redirect rainwater into a pipe and down through the side of a building. Scupper Boxes act as an alternative and additional drain which allows excess rainwater to drain properly, avoiding the possibility of water to sit or penetrate into your roofing system. Unlike internal/inner drains, scupper boxes do not require a strainer as most openings for a scupper box are large enough to clear out any debris or leaves that the traveling rainwater may collect. If your home uses scupper boxes as a way to drain rainwater off of your roof, most times you do not need to worry about clearing these out, but it is still important to make sure the internal/inner drains are cleared, as well.

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Gutters:

On the other hand, if you have a shingled roof, you most likely have gutters attached to the sides of your roof. Gutters, also known as conductor pipes, are “a shallow trough that is placed beneath the edge of the roof to carry excess water away from the building.” The most common types of gutters are usually made out of aluminum, vinyl, or galvanized steel; although your contractor may recommend a specific type of gutter, this option is up to the homeowner. It is important to note that, unlike internal/inner drains and scupper boxes, gutters often need to be regularly cleaned out as debris, leaves, and other greenery tend to build up quickly. In order to reduce the number of times your gutters need to be cleared out, certain options such as gutter guards are available that block debris from entering and clogging your gutters.

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We highly recommend getting your gutters cleaned out at least twice a year, once in the Fall to clear leaves that may have fallen, and once in the Spring. Although this may seem like an easy task, it is extremely important to ensure that if you, the homeowner, decide to do this on your own, you have the proper safety equipment to do so. When it comes to clearing out the gutters on your shingled roof, we highly recommend that you contact a roofing contractor to do so in order to avoid any hazards such as falling off of the ladder. If you feel that you need assistance with this task, feel free to contact your local roofing professionals! If you’re located in Hudson County, you can call us at (201)436-1011 to schedule your roof maintenance, today!