Drainage systems are extremely important when it comes to keeping rainwater away from your property. Water damage accounts for a large part of the damage that homeowners have to deal with on a yearly basis, and if your gutters and storm drains are clogged with leaves, branches and other debris, it can be very difficult to keep your property free of unwanted water damage.
This is precisely why experts recommend that storm drains be cleared as frequently as possible, and that they should also be inspected from time to time to check on how well they are able to get rid of rainwater.
What Are Storm Drains and How Do They Work?
If you inspected your yard when you bought your home, you’ve probably noticed some openings in the ground at areas of low elevation. These openings are set in place in those exact locations in order to ensure that rainwater can be drained as effectively as possible. They are known as storm drains, and they are a very essential part of the infrastructure that makes up your home and property.
As a storm hits, water basically flows from your roof down through your gutter system and makes its way to the storm drains in your yard. If the storm drains and clean and clear of any debris, then the water flows down and you have nothing to worry about. If the landscaping was done properly, water should drain easily from every area of your property, so that there won’t be any puddles formed and you won’t have to worry about your vegetable garden being flooded.
Simply pouring water down the storm drain using your hose should be enough to test if the drains are clogged or not. Even if they seem clean, they could still be clogged, so testing them after clearing the debris from the premises should be among your main priorities. If the drains seem to be slow in clearing the water, you might want to consider opening them up for a more thorough clean.
Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements
Experts will tell you that it’s a good idea to schedule storm drain cleaning at least once a year. That doesn’t mean you can’t sweep away any broken branches and dead leaves from the area from time to time. However, once a year you should definitely have a professional technician over to assess the structural integrity and effectiveness of the draining system, check for mold, as well as clear away any debris that might have form in areas of the storm drain that are not readily visible.
This maintenance work is very important, and it can require digging to uncover the draining system and repair it as well, if necessary. The type of work that will be required may be well beyond what you can achieve as a homeowner. Also, even if you enjoy DIY work, it can be difficult and time consuming, taking up valuable time and resources that you could use elsewhere.
Call in your trusted experts to make sure your storm drains are operating properly and get them cleaned out and repaired when necessary. You’ll have the issue sorted out in no time, so you won’t have to get your own hands dirty.