Management of stormwater
Managing stormwater is an important part of ensuring your property does not experience internal flooding during downpours and that outdoor areas do not become quagmires. To reduce the chance of stormwater damage to your property, roof areas should effectively collect water then transfer this water to stormwater drains via appropriate downpipes. In addition some properties require grated drainage systems at ground level to deal with large water flows across the ground.
Maintaining your roof, gutters and stormwater drain
In order for your stormwater systems to function effectively frequent maintenance is essential. The prime suspect in stormwater system failure is clogging by leaves and debris. Dust also settles on your roof, washing into gutters when it rains. This collects in the gutters as silt, creating a bed for weed seeds, which germinate and grow in your gutters if left for long periods.
If you do not maintain your roof, gutters and stormwater drains properly, it can lead to significant building damage. Regardless of whether you dispose of water through a stormwater drain or collect it in a rainwater tank, if your gutters are blocked, the water cannot drain away. This will result in overflow. If the water from overflowing gutters gets under your fascia at the very least this could cause staining in your ceiling and inner walls but has the potential to cause major structural damage.
As with the roof and gutters the stormwater pit must be cleaned regularly to function properly. By performing a thorough stormwater drain clean twice a year, you’ll significantly increase the likelihood that your stormwater drainage system will work as intended. Maintenance plumbers can use mechanical and high pressure drain cleaning equipment to remove any blockages. In extreme cases stormwater drains may become damaged and need repair or complete replacement.
Stormwater Drains and Excavation
Any change to the ground level of your property – such as excavation, earth fill or construction of retaining walls – alters the stormwater flow and may create inconvenience for yourself and surrounding properties. You should seek professional advice from qualified maintenance plumbers before commencing work.
The stormwater must be directed to a ‘lawful point of discharge’. This is a stormwater drain or gutter which is maintained by your local council. It is actually illegal to direct water into a neighbour’s property and any resulting damage to their property could land you in hot water. It is really important that neighbours work together and take the advice of a qualified plumber such as those at Jason’s Plumbing to come up with appropriate stormwater solutions.
Commercial and industrial stormwater
Commercial and industrial properties have stormwater management systems that are similar to commercial properties. The main difference is usually in the capacity and scale of the system to deal with larger total roof areas. Some businesses and industries can turn this to their advantage by collecting and reusing this water in their operations. Talk to the commercial and industrial maintenance specialists at Jason’s Plumbing about suitable rainwater harvesting for commercial settings.
There may be instances where commercial and industrial stormwater has a higher level of contaminants e.g. oil or grit from vehicles. In these cases it will be necessary to have additional filtration systems in the stormwater system to separate the contaminants before they enter waterways. These filtration systems require scheduled maintenance to ensure they continue to work effectively.
If you need advice and help with maintaining your commercial roof, gutters and stormwater drains call the maintenance experts at Jason’s Plumbing today.