Roof drains are like sinks for the building. When they’re open, leaves, plastic, bird nests or debris can easily slide in and block the pipe. The next time it rains hard, water has nowhere to go and starts to pool on the roof.
Simple guards or grates over drain mouths act like strainers. Water still flows through, but large items stay out. Cleaning the top grate is much easier than dealing with a hidden, clogged pipe deep inside the structure.
When you go up on the roof, a quick look at these drain points tells you if someone’s thinking ahead or if everything is left to luck. Clear, guarded drains are a small but important sign of good maintenance.
