From the desk
Seasonal drain tips for coastal homes
Here are four seasonal notes on how local drains and gutters tend to back up through the year.
October–November
First rain finds every packed gutter.
The first real rain of the season is when pine needles, eucalyptus bark, and summer dust become a dam. Water goes over the fascia, into the wall, or down a downspout that’s already full. Sometimes it ends up in a drain line that wasn’t ready for it either.
December–February
Winter water finds the roots already in the joint.
A dry-season belly or a root in the joint will wait. The first two-day rain fills the lateral and the backup shows up in the tub. That usually means the line needed hydro-jetting last summer.
March–April
Shade and the marine layer encourage moss.
Redwood and pine shade keep roofs wet. Marine layer does the rest. By March the north face is green. Left untreated, moss keeps washing into the gutters all next winter.
Year-round
Snake or camera: what each one tells you
Most first-time clogs do not need a camera. Repeat clogs, house purchases, and anything under redwoods usually do. Here’s what we charge.