Roof drains are commonly used in flat-roofed buildings in the United States. For years there have been a few manufacturers making commercial drains out of cast iron or plastic. Both cast iron drains and plastic drains are difficult to install. Having to cut through the roof membrane and install a fastening system that attaches the drain to the roof from below the roof line. Cast iron drains are very expensive and plastic drains tend to fail over time. But there is an alternative!

Thunderbird Products has been manufacturing copper drains for over 30 years. Copper drains do not rust, are very easy to install and are cost effective. Copper roof drains come in a large 20 oz. natural copper flashing. Why is this important? This is what makes the drain easy to install, just nail the flashing and place your waterproofing over it, and you’re done!

One of the biggest problems with cast iron and plastic roof drains is that as the building settles the drain lifts off the roof causing puddles around the drain and usually a future call to the contractor and to the roofer. Thunderbird Copper Drains eliminate this problem. The nature of copper is that it is a softer metal. So when a building settles, the copper drain flashing actually settles with the roof. This means no more puddles and no more callbacks!

One potential problem with copper drains is electrolysis. This is a reaction that occurs between some dissimilar metals. For example, when copper comes into contact with iron, the two metals corrode each other. So it’s easy to see why you wouldn’t want to use a copper drain on a steel or tin roof. That’s why Thunderbird Products recently introduced a line of drains that are made from 26 gauge 316 marine grade stainless steel. Stainless steel can be used with metal roofing systems and doesn’t react badly with other metals.

Thunderbird Products also manufactures a line of TPO Lined Drains. TPO is a recently popular waterproofing membrane that can be heat welded to itself. It is an excellent single-ply roofing membrane that has a very long life and a very successful track record. Thunderbird TPO Coated Roof Drains use manufacturer’s TPO coated flashing material. An installer no longer has to cut a whole in their tpo material to install a drain. Simply purchase a Thunderbird TPO roof drain, position it, and heat weld it directly to the drain flashing.

All Thunderbird roof drains share some common features. All models are manufactured with a drain pan without joints and flashing. All drains come with a tough ABS plastic dome strainer. Manufactured for pipe sizes up to 6″ diameter. Overflow and clamp ring options available.