I’ll never forget the call about the banner incident. A furniture store had secured large advertising banners on the roof using cinder blocks as anchors. Seemed solid enough, until the Santa Ana winds arrived.
The winds ripped the banners off the roof, cinder blocks and all, and sent them flying across the parking lot like tumbleweeds. One banner wrapped around a vehicle. The cinder blocks? They landed on another car’s hood, completely crushing it. Thankfully, no one was in the parking lot at that moment, but it easily could have been a fatality.
That’s the thing about Santa Ana winds in Orange County, they don’t just cause inconvenience. They expose every maintenance shortcut, every “it’ll probably be fine” decision, and turn them into legitimate hazards that can kill people or total expensive vehicles. After servicing tens of thousands of commercial properties through countless wind seasons, we’ve seen the pattern repeat: properties that prepare in September avoid the disasters that hit unprepared properties in October and November.
The Hidden Danger: Light Pole Rust
Let’s talk about something you can’t see that could cause catastrophic damage: the base of your parking lot light poles.
Years ago, it became popular to hang festive banners on light poles, especially during holidays. Property managers loved the look; it made shopping centers feel welcoming and seasonal. But what most people don’t realize is that every parking lot light pole is engineered to handle a specific amount of wind shear. When you attach a banner to that pole, you’re effectively adding a sail, potentially exceeding what the pole was designed to handle.
Here’s what’s happening beneath the surface: Below the aluminum cover at the bottom of each pole, there are typically four bolts fastened to a plate welded to the pole base. Most poles are massively overengineered, so shopping centers get away with adding these “sails” for years without incident. But while you’re congratulating yourself on how festive everything looks, moisture is doing its work.
Each time it rains, or even when fog and cool nights create condensation, moisture runs down the pole, slips under that aluminum cover, and sits on the base plate where it connects to the pole. The cover protects the base from view, but it also prevents quick evaporation. More importantly, it prevents you from seeing the rust that’s eating away at the metal.
Eventually, the rust weakens the pole enough that it breaks off. And light poles always seem to fall on very expensive cars.
We dealt with a situation in Anaheim Hills where the winds became particularly extreme as they passed through the canyon. One year, during peak Santa Ana conditions, a pole came crashing down on a vehicle. Thankfully, no one was inside, but the car was a total loss. The pole required complete replacement, and the liability exposure was enormous.
We never recommend installing banners on light poles, period. If you currently have banners on poles, remove them before October. Every year. No exceptions.
Have your light poles inspected regularly using ultrasonic testing combined with visual inspection under those aluminum covers. Simple repairs caught early can prevent a pole from coming down and requiring complete replacement, not to mention preventing injury or death.
Tree Trimming: Don’t Let Mother Nature Do Your Work
Schedule your tree trimming for September, before the winds begin in October and November. Once high winds start, it may be unsafe to trim larger trees, and by then, you’re just hoping nothing comes down.
Sycamores, Eucalyptus, and Palms: The High-Risk Trees
Sycamore and eucalyptus trees are notorious for limb breakage during high winds. In the 1980s, builders loved planting eucalyptus trees because they grew fast and provided quick shade. But now, 40 years later, these trees are 60-80 feet tall if left unchecked, or at least 40 feet if you’ve maintained them diligently. Being fast growers means you need a diligent trimming program.
Large palms present their own danger. Dead fronds hang on until wind or gravity brings them down, sometimes from 60 feet in the air. When a heavy palm frond falls from that height, it has enough force to cause major vehicle damage or kill someone walking below.
A good tree trimming company can keep your trees in check, happy, and growing well. They’ll identify and deal with any disease before it becomes a major problem, and most importantly, they’ll significantly decrease your potential liability. Every year we get calls to collect broken branches and palm fronds from parking lots littered with tree debris after wind events. It’s risky to let Mother Nature do your tree trimming.
A professional tree company that specializes in commercial properties will assess the specific species on your property, identify hazardous limbs, and create a maintenance schedule that keeps you ahead of the winds.
Banner Removal: No Exceptions
Remove ALL banners from ALL locations before wind season. That includes banners on light poles, building-mounted banners, roof-mounted banners, and any temporary signage secured with “temporary” methods.
Even large advertising banners secured with steel cables are no match for sustained Santa Ana winds. We’ve seen professionally installed banners with proper mounting systems get ripped down, damaging buildings and vehicles in the process.
Do a customary check of all banners in late September. If high winds are forecasted and you still have banners up, remove them immediately. Adding a calendar reminder to complete this by October 1st will save you enormous liability headaches.
If your tenants rely on banners for advertising, have that conversation in August. Explain the liability exposure and set expectations that banners come down before wind season, every year.
Roof Tiles, Flashing, and Flying Debris
Loose roof tiles and metal flashing aren’t minor maintenance issues; they’re potential weapons during high winds.
A loose tile can blow off your roof and crash through a vehicle windshield, strike a pedestrian in the head, or shatter storefront glass. Metal flashing that’s come loose becomes a sharp projectile that can cause severe injury or death.
Walk your roof in September. Look for:
- Any tiles that have shifted, cracked, or loosened (even slightly)
- Metal flashing around roof penetrations, edges, or transitions that has pulled away or shows signs of deterioration
- Any rooftop equipment with loose panels or unsecured components
- Debris that could become airborne (old equipment, stored materials, loose gravel)
If you find problems, fix them immediately. This isn’t something you defer until next quarter’s maintenance budget. The negligence liability for ignoring known hazards that cause injury is enormous.
The Trash Enclosure Problem Nobody Thinks About
Here’s an overlooked wind hazard: trash enclosure doors with damaged cane bolts.
Cane bolts are the curved metal fasteners at the bottom of trash enclosure doors that slide into holes in the floor to secure the door. They’re called “cane” bolts because they look like a cane. When trash trucks or dumpsters hit the doors (which happens regularly), they bend the cane bolt so it won’t slide into the floor anymore.
Without functioning cane bolts, only the slide lock at the top of the door holds it closed. That’s not adequate during high winds. We’ve seen these heavy metal doors swing open violently during Santa Anas, damaging the hinges, vehicles parked nearby, or even hitting vehicles driving past.
Check every trash enclosure door in September. Test the cane bolts. If they’re bent, damaged, or missing, replace them before October. This is a cheap, quick fix that prevents expensive damage and liability.
October Prep Checklist: Final Items Before Winds Arrive
Beyond the major items we’ve covered, complete these final checks in early October:
- Storm drain and catch basin clearing: Remove all debris that accumulated during summer. Wind will blow more leaves and trash into these areas, and you want them clear before both wind and rain seasons.
- Secure all rooftop equipment: HVAC units, electrical panels, anything that has access doors or removable components.
- Parking lot walk-through: Look for anything that could become airborne, loose signs, flags & banners, temporary barriers, or stored equipment.
- Perimeter fencing: Check for loose sections, damaged posts, or gates that don’t latch properly.
When Things Fall: Emergency Response Protocol
Despite your best preparation, wind damage sometimes happens. When it does, your response matters for both safety and liability.
If a light pole, large branch, or other major hazard comes down:
- Secure the area immediately: Use traffic cones and caution tape to keep people and vehicles away. If you have on-site security or a trusted tenant available, they can handle this while you’re arranging professional response.
- Call professionals: Don’t attempt to move downed light poles (potential electrical hazards) or large tree debris yourself.
- Document everything: Photos from multiple angles, timestamps, weather conditions.
- Communicate with tenants: Let them know what happened, what’s being done, and when the hazard will be cleared.
Your tenants pay higher CAM charges when significant claims occur. They should be motivated to report hazards and help secure dangerous situations quickly. Make sure they have emergency contact numbers and understand their role in protecting the property.
The Wind-Fire Connection
Santa Ana winds don’t just cause mechanical damage; they also signal fire season. These hot, dry winds coming from the desert create extreme fire danger across Southern California. We’ll dive deep into fire prevention and summer prep in our next post, but understand that wind season preparation overlaps with fire prevention.
That tree trimming you’re doing in September? It serves double duty, reducing wind damage risk while also cutting back vegetation that could fuel fires or allow flames to jump from trees to your roof.
Stay Ahead of the Winds
The Santa Ana winds are coming. They arrive every year, as predictable as the seasons. The only variable is whether your property will be ready.
Walk your property in September with this checklist in hand. Remove banners. Schedule tree trimming. Inspect light poles. Check trash enclosure doors. Secure roof tiles and flashing.
In our next post, we’ll cover fire season preparation and the summer maintenance tasks that nobody talks about, like why your dumpsters smell terrible and what to do about it. Until then, focus on wind season prep. Your future self will thank you.
