Storm drains are essential for preventing rain water from accumulating so it doesn’t flood your property or adjacent areas. Storm drain maintenance will protect your home and ensure excess water is safely channeled to the right destinations to prevent flooding in your neighborhood.
That said, here’s what you need to know about storm drains, cleaning them, and the risks of not maintaining a storm drain.
What are Storm Drains?
Storm drains are the grated drains you see on almost every street that collect the water when it rains. They are essential during storms as they allow rainwater to drain from the streets that would otherwise cause flooding. For residential properties, both the gutters and the rest of your property need somewhere for the water to drain during heavy rains. Your property most likely has a storm drain that acts as a catch basin and has an underground pipe to lead to your street’s main storm drain.
How Do Storm Drains Become Clogged?
You may not realize your storm drain is clogged until there is heavy rainfall and the drain isn’t working properly. Numerous types of debris, including dirt, mud, twigs, and leaves, can clog storm drains. If a storm drain becomes seriously backed-up, this could result in a flood on your property. This is why it’s essential to inspect your drain every so often to prevent any future problems.
Storm Drain Maintenance
Periodically cleaning your storm drains will avoid clogs and backups in the system. From your gutter system all the way down to your storm drains, the system needs to be kept open. Gutters can easily become clogged with leaves and debris which causes water to overflow. Cleaning your gutters is necessary to ensure runoff flows down toward the larger drain system.
Just like the gutters need to be cleaned, storm drains and washes also need to be kept free from clogs. To avoid these clogs in your system, follow these steps to clean your storm drains:
- Remove all trash and debris
- If there is any vegetation surrounding the storm drain that can potentially cause a clog, clear it away
- Do not build any walls or fences near the drainage areas – this can cause an obstruction
Consequences of Clogged Storm Drains
When storm drains become clogged with debris, they can no longer collect water, which can cause severe damage to your property. If water accumulates around your house, thousands of dollars worth of damage can occur. Here are a few of the consequences of clogged storm drains:
- Water and mold damage
- Basement flooding
- Damaged landscaping
How to Keep Your Storm Drain Clean
It’s important to keep up with routine cleaning to reduce the amount of debris and waste that can enter a storm drain. There are various maintenance actions you can take to keep your storm drain clean. Here are a few ways to prevent a clogged storm drain and flooding on your property:
- Keep yard waste in a bin or container
- Keep a tight lid on your trash cans, especially during windy days
- Rake up leaves and debris on your property that could potentially clog the storm drain
- Pick up pet waste: storm water will carry the waste into the stream which will end up in your storm drain
Pro tip: If water can carry it, you should throw it away so it doesn’t end up in your storm drain.
If you notice flooding in your yard or around your storm drain, you might have a clogged drain. To avoid property damages from the water, contact us today for professional storm drain cleaning. The team at Alpine Plumbing & Rooter is here to help. Give us a call at (626) 349-6631 today!
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