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A Drainage Contractor May Recommend A Channel Drain When Water Collects On Your Driveway

If part of your yard collects water when it rains, your property could probably use a drainage system. There are different options for drainage depending on where the water is pooling. Drainage contractors can help you choose the right method whether it's a catch basin, French drain, or channel drain. If the water is pooling on your driveway, pool deck, or another impermeable surface, the contractor might recommend a channel drain. Here's how this type of drain works.

A Channel Drain Can Be Installed In Concrete

A channel drain can be installed along the side of your driveway, or it can be installed across your driveway depending on how the water flows. It's common for channel drains to be installed in concrete to eliminate water that would puddle on the concrete and potentially cause damage.

If your contractor installs the drain on your driveway, they'll choose a drain made to withstand the weight of heavy vehicles. A drain installed in an area that only gets foot traffic wouldn't need to be as durable.

A Trench Is Necessary

Channel drains are called trench drains because the drains are placed in shallow trenches. However, they differ from French drains in that French drains are buried underground while channel drains have visible grates on the surface of the yard or concrete.

The trench collects rain that falls through the top grate. The rain then rolls along the pipe in the trench toward the street or other safe place. When digging the trench, the drainage contractor has to ensure the trench has the right slope so water drains away using gravity.

The Drain Is Installed

A channel drain that's along the side of your driveway can probably empty in the street. However, the drains are designed so you have options. If emptying in the street isn't possible, the contractor can close off the ends of the drain and open the bottom outlets. These outlets can be routed to a dry well or buried French drain so the water can be moved away from the area.

The Grates Are Added

The grates are an important part of the channel drain since they catch water. The grates have to be level with the concrete or soil so water rolls in them easily. There are different types of grates your drainage contractor can choose from. Some are made of metal and are suitable for vehicle traffic and others are made of plastic and suitable for foot traffic. The drains even come in different colors so your drain can blend in with your driveway, pool deck, or grass and not be as noticeable.