Winter weather is unpredictable in the Bay Area. Each year, the region faces storm systems that can bring torrential rains and fierce winds. On this page, you’ll find tips on how to prepare your home before the arrival of the next storm and advice on how to clean up afterward.
Unpredictable winter storms can batter a home's exterior. Photo: Wedge Roofing ©2020
Blaine Munsch
Willow Creek Construction
Jeremy Ke
All Seasons Construction
Mike Ross
Ross Roofing & Construction, Inc.
Robert Devengenzo
Devengenzo Landscaping & General Engineering Inc.
Terry Powell
Terry’s Tree Service, Inc.
Carlos Rodriguez
Mr. Roofing, Inc.
Dave Lopez
Advanced Roofing Services, Inc.
Steve Labourdette
Labourdette Construction
Agapito Chavez-Reyes
PRI-Premiere Roofing Inc.
Faren Reyes
Discover Plumbing & Rooter
Jay Furlong
Stanford Painting, Inc.
PLEASANTON — If you own a home, you’ll want to take proactive steps to protect your investment. One of the simplest yet most impactful of such maintenance measures is to keep the exterior of your home well-sealed.
Every home exterior contains gaps, whether in door and window trim or between siding panels. When these gaps aren’t sealed, it leaves them vulnerable to moisture intrusion from rainy weather and exterior washing. The residual moisture from this water intrusion is a common catalyst for the development of dry rot, a harmful fungus that softens wood and compromises its stability. Once dry rot has gained a foothold, it can spread into your walls and flooring, creating potentially dangerous conditions.
As if dry rot wasn’t bad enough on its own, it also makes your home more susceptible to termites because they see the softened wood as an easy meal. Considering these potential consequences, it’s important to keep your home’s exterior trim and siding sealed with a high-quality caulk. Make sure the caulk you choose is intended for exterior use and reapply it as needed.
OAKLAND — Do you have groundwater issues on your property? Not everyone understands the impact that groundwater can have on a home. For example, water that collects around and/or beneath the home can cause the foundation to settle unevenly and even rotate outward, resulting in problems for both the foundation and the home above. Likewise, groundwater that gets into the crawl space can lead to increased humidity and mold issues within the home.
To prevent these problems, you’ll need to take steps to mitigate groundwater issues. One common solution is to install a French drain, which consists of a perforated pipe that’s installed a foot or more below the affected area. By collecting water and transporting it elsewhere, a French drain can protect your home and its foundation from the effects of groundwater.
MARINA — A commonly overlooked aspect of roofing is keeping up with regular professional maintenance. Oftentimes, a homeowner or commercial property owner will install a brand-new roof and assume they won’t have to think about it again for the next 15 to 20 years. This is not the case—in reality, environmental factors such as rain, wind and UV radiation cause roofing materials to degrade over time. For example, caulking, reglets and collars that seal joints, pipes and transition areas of the roof typically wear out well before the end of the roof’s expected lifespan. This can allow moisture to penetrate the roof, resulting in leaks and rot.
Wear and tear is normal and expected of any roof, which is what makes ongoing professional maintenance so important. In fact, if you read the fine print on any roofing warranty, you’ll see that regular maintenance is required, which means neglecting it can void the warranty. Plus, a roof’s expected lifespan can often be extended if serviced by a professional on a regular basis. So don’t overlook this crucial measure—get in touch with a trusted local roofer and stay on top of regular maintenance.
LAFAYETTE — While often overlooked, drainage is nonetheless a vital functional aspect of any home. There are a few different ways to go about achieving proper drainage, but the most common method is installing a “two-pipe system.”
A two-pipe drainage system is designed to pick up water at two levels: above and below the ground. The upper pipe picks up surface water from drain inlets, as well as water washed down from the roof, while the lower pipe is designated for collecting subterranean water. During installation, the lower pipe is wrapped in filter fabric to prevent silt intrusion and then filled around by rock to maximize drainage. Altogether, a two-pipe system ensures water is collected at multiple levels and transported away from the home to the proper outlets.
LIVERMORE — The upkeep of trees on a property is an important yet often overlooked aspect of home maintenance. In addition to having their health periodically assessed by a professional, you should keep your trees well-trimmed via regular pruning and periodic canopy thinning.
Thinning the canopy of a tree typically consists of removing elements like deadwood, cross branches and excess growth. In addition to improving a tree’s ventilation (allowing wind to pass through the tree more freely), thinning results in weight reduction, which lessens the strain on a tree’s trunk and roots. Furthermore, thinning a tree’s canopy increases sunlight exposure to its interior branches and your overall property.
When it comes to trees growing near your home, it’s also a good idea to trim branches away from your roof line. When a tree’s branches come in contact with your roof, they can provide easy access for rats, squirrels and other rodents, which can then find their way into your attic. In addition to potentially bringing various insects and diseases into your home, rodents can pose a fire hazard if they start chewing on your electrical wiring.
If you’re unfamiliar with proper tree trimming techniques, consider hiring an ISA Certified tree company to perform the task. Remember, by proactively maintaining your trees, you’ll not only make your yard a safer and more enjoyable environment, you’ll also increase the value of your home and property.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — Does your roof have moss, algae or lichen growing on it? Here’s how to remove it and prevent it from reappearing:
Cleaning
Make a cleaning solution of bleach and water (if you want something more environmentally friendly, use potassium fatty acid in place of bleach). Spray the solution on your roof—this will kill the moss/algae/lichen growth. Do not attempt to power wash your roof or employ abrasive brushing, as these will do more harm than good. And remember: safety first. If you don’t feel comfortable getting up on your roof, call a licensed roofing professional to handle this job for you.
Prevention
Even if you completely remove fungal growth from your roof, if the conditions remain the same, it’ll soon return. A great way to prevent growth from reoccurring is to install a zinc strip at the ridgeline of your roof. This metal strip will naturally leach out electrons that eliminate moss, algae and lichen. Ideally, you would have the zinc strip installed when you replace your roof system.
ALAMEDA — Tar and gravel roofs have been around for a long time, but in recent years their popularity has waned. This is largely due to aesthetics, with many homeowners choosing to replace their tar and gravel roofs with composition shingles because they like the way they look. However, in some cases this can be a big mistake, because even though a roof may look good, it might not function like it needs to.
Residential roofs vary in terms of steepness (or “pitch,” as it’s known in the industry). Roof pitch is expressed as a rise/run ratio. For example, a roof that rises 6 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal run has a 6:12 pitch. Some roofing materials are designed to function within a certain range of pitch in order to meet their intended lifespan. That’s why it can be a problem when a homeowner replaces their tar and gravel roof with shingles, because each of these products is designed to perform at different pitches.
To meet shingle manufacturer criteria, a roof needs to be at a pitch of 4:12 or greater to install shingles. However, many homeowners choose to install shingles even though their roofs have pitches of 2:12 or 3:12. Not only does this void any warranty the shingles might have come with, it often leads to premature failure of the roof. Over time, as rainwater runs down the roof, the shingles will start to settle and “cup” in certain areas, creating a small dam that diverts water to the left and right. Eventually, this water will get into the roof’s seam, seep in the nail holes and, once the nails rust out, make its way into the attic. This chain of events can cause the shingles on an incorrectly pitched roof to fail in as few as 10 years.
For this reason, when replacing your roof, it’s important to consider its pitch and install an appropriate product—ideally the one it was originally designed to have. If you have a tar and gravel roof, it’s wise to go with its modern equivalent, known as a “built-up” roof. Instead of gravel, a built-up roof is covered by a cap sheet, which provides a watertight layer of protection and looks a lot nicer.
SEBASTOPOL — When installing a new deck, waterproofing is a crucial aspect of attaching it to your house. By taking thorough measures to properly waterproof your deck, you can expect it to have a longer lifespan and avoid rot issues with both the deck and your house.
One of the main components of deck waterproofing is the flashing, which consists of a couple different elements. First, there’s the Z bar, which is a piece of metal in the shape of a “Z” that fits over the wooden ledger to deflect rain and moisture. Another important component is membrane flashing, which is installed under the Z bar, behind the ledger and in any area where moisture is a concern.
Siding is also important when it comes to deck waterproofing. When attaching a deck to a house, cement siding works best because it provides a solid, waterproof barrier. Often, when a contractor replaces a deck, they’ll find the house has been infected with rot due to inappropriate siding installation.
When completed, both the deck and the home will be protected by several layers of waterproofing material that include various pieces of flashing and siding. All these components work together like shingles to repel water, which will keep your deck and home safe from rot.
LIVERMORE — There are a lot of reasons why roof maintenance is important, but the most significant is probably leak prevention. Whether you have a tile roof or an asphalt shingle roof, rainy weather can cause problems if it hasn’t been properly maintained. Regular maintenance will prepare your roof to withstand wet weather and enable you to catch potential issues before the rain begins to fall.
The most common areas where roof leaks occur are valleys (areas where two roof slopes meet and create a channel for water to flow) and protrusions in the roof such as chimneys, skylights, plumbing pipes, and vents. The main reason leaks occur in these areas is debris. Over time, dirt, moss and other types of debris become lodged beneath tiles/shingles, which blocks the water channels and causes water to spread out into more vulnerable areas of the roof. This scenario can also result from a broken or out-of-position tile/shingle, which can occur due to natural movement or expansion/contraction caused by weather changes.
Because there’s no way to know when these types of issues occur, it’s best to have your roof inspected and maintained by a professional every five to 10 years. If you have lots of trees around your home, you’ll want to have this done more often. Ultimately, you’re better off preventing roof leaks than having to call for repairs after the damage has already been done.
SAN FRANCISCO — If you live in an older home or building, you may have an outdated plumbing system. Ideally, you should replace the outdated components of your system with new ones. These may include sewer and drain pipes, water pipes, water heaters, and old toilets. Replacing these things with new, updated components will greatly improve your plumbing system’s performance.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the money to update their plumbing systems. In this case, the next best thing you can do is maintain the system you have. For example, if you have trouble with your sewer and drain pipes getting clogged up, one service you can get is hydro-jetting. With hydro-jetting, a plumber uses pressurized water to clear drain and sewer pipes of clogs and buildup. By having your pipes hydro-jetted every three to six months, you can keep them working and avoid backups.
If you decide to get recurrent hydro-jetting services, find a quality plumber who will do the job correctly and for a reasonable price. Many plumbers provide a discounted rate for this type of ongoing service.
MOUNTAIN VIEW — Prior to winter, it’s a good idea to prepare your home exterior for the windy, rainy weather. You can do this by inspecting your home exterior for any moisture-vulnerable areas and sealing them with an appropriate product. These include any areas of exposed wood (which should be sealed with primer) and any gaps or holes (which should be filled with caulking or patched with an appropriate exterior sealant). By keeping water from permeating your home’s wood, this annual step can go a long way toward prolonging the life of your house paint.
