Tamarama Beach is small and steep-sided, and on a windy day sand blows up the gully and settles everywhere. Add sand carried on feet from the beach and the coastal walk, and it ends up in gutters, on paving, in sliding door tracks and on balconies.
Sand in gutters
Wind lifts sand onto roofs, and rain washes it into gutters. Unlike leaves, sand is heavy and does not wash away. It settles at the low points and around outlets, holding moisture against the metal.
Wet sand plus salt is corrosive. It is one of the main reasons coastal gutters rust from the inside, and clearing it often reveals perforations that the sand was plugging. More: rusting gutters and what’s in a Sydney gutter.
Sand also blocks downpipes at bends and in underground lines. Flow-test downpipes after every gutter clean. More: blocked downpipes.
Sand on paving
Sand on paving is abrasive. Underfoot it scratches polished stone and tiles, wears sealers, and dulls finishes. On steps it makes surfaces slippery.
Sweep or blow it off regularly rather than hosing it into joints and drains. When pavers are cleaned, joints may need re-sanding with the correct jointing sand rather than beach sand, which is too fine and full of salt. More: cleaning brick pavers.
Sand in sliding doors and windows
Tracks collect sand, rollers grind, and doors stiffen. Vacuum the tracks rather than washing sand deeper into them, then clean and rinse. More: window tracks and sills.
Sand on balconies and in drains
Balcony drains block with sand, especially fine wind-blown sand. A blocked drain in a summer storm floods the apartment. Check them before storm season. More: balcony cleaning.
Sand and salt together
Sand carries salt. Wherever it sits, metal corrodes faster and stone and render salt-weather. Regular fresh-water rinsing of glass, frames and metal reduces both. More: salt on Sydney’s coast.
Outdoor showers and foot wash
An outdoor tap or shower near the entry, with drainage to garden rather than stormwater, stops a lot of sand coming into the property at all.
Timing
Gutters in late autumn and early spring. Paving and tracks in spring before summer, and after summer. Balcony drains before storm season.
What owners can do
Sweep paving and steps rather than hosing sand into joints and drains. Vacuum sliding door tracks every few weeks in summer. Check balcony and courtyard drains after windy days. Rinse outdoor furniture and fittings with fresh water to take off salt and sand. Keep a doormat and a tap or outdoor shower at the main entry.
What sand tells you about the roof
Sand found in gutters after cleaning should be modest. Large amounts, especially sand mixed with tile granules, can mean the roof surface is eroding as well, as wind-blown sand acts like sandpaper on exposed tiles over years. A roof inspection during a gutter clean is worth having on beach-facing properties. More: how often gutters should be cleaned.
See the Tamarama maintenance calendar and our gutter cleaning service.
