Outdoor drainage systems are found in public spaces like parks, sidewalks, and throughout residential areas, like on driveways and patios. Understanding the importance of concrete patio drainage solutions and what to look for in a system is critical.
Here’s what you need to know and how to make an informed choice about your concrete patio drainage.
The Importance of Concrete Patio Drainage
Your patio is always exposed to the elements, and standing water can be quite damaging if left unchecked. If water runoff has nowhere to go, it sits on the concrete surface, where it can slowly erode the concrete, creating cracks and divots.
Sitting water can also lead to mold and mildew, which can cause other issues for your patio, including permanent staining. Freezing water can expand under the patio surface, which can exacerbate cracks and push the damage deeper.
A drainage system will help manage water runoff, allowing the patio to dry, preventing damage to the patio, landscaping, and foundation. Choosing the right system is critical, however. Keep these considerations in mind when choosing your concrete patio drainage system.
6 Considerations for Patio Drainage
There is a wide array of concrete patio drainage solutions available, but one to consider off the bat is Slot Drain — a modern, grateless trench drain system. The 7,000 Series is an excellent option for patio drainage, with the following benefits to keep in mind.
1. Clean Aesthetics
You put a great deal of time, effort, and money into making your property look as great as possible, and traditional trench drains can ruin the aesthetic with their clunky grates and larger footprint.
Slot Drain, on the other hand, is a sleek, linear system. Unlike traditional systems, Slot Drain has a slim channel opening (as narrow as 0.5 inches), eliminating the need for heavy grates. This sleek design allows the drain to seamlessly blend in with the surrounding concrete, tile, or asphalt.
2. Ease of Cleaning
As a homeowner, you don't want to choose a patio drainage system that requires extensive work to keep clean. Slot Drain's grate-free design eliminates a great deal of work, preventing most large debris from entering the drain channel.
You can clean the 7,000 Series using our simple brush and paddle tools, quickly and easily moving debris along the channel toward the catch basin. For even easier cleaning, you can choose to include a Flush-Flo system with your 7,000 Series Slot Drain, which connects to a water line and offers timed and manual flushing for a more automated cleaning option.
3. Slope
Installing a concrete patio drainage channel requires the patio surface to slope to a certain degree. Otherwise, the water runoff will not make its way towards the drain. For traditional trench drain systems, all four sides of the patio had to be sloped, making it uneven, leaving furniture unable to sit comfortably on the surface and creating potential tripping or slipping hazards.
The Slot Drain system comes pre-sloped, requiring only two-sloped flooring, which helps to keep things as level as possible, while creating a cleaner aesthetic.
4. Clog Prevention
A common issue with traditional trench drains is how easily they can clog. Debris such as leaves and clumps of mud can get stuck in the grating, preventing water from entering the channel and creating puddles and other issues.
Slot Drain's grateless, linear design allows water to flow steadily down the drain's channel, without any curves or bends to impede the path. The system's slim channel opening also makes it impossible for anything but small, easy-to-pass debris to go through the system to the catch basin.
5. Downspout Locations
The ideal placement for downspouts is to have them so that rainwater travels away from your home and directly toward your drainage channel. Once you nail the slope of your concrete patio, use gravity to your advantage to further enhance drainage around your home.
Having downspouts in place adds further protection for the patio, foundation, and landscaping close to the house.
6. Safety
Traditional grated drainage systems can have a raised edge, which people can trip on, possibly causing injury. The grates are also heavy and fairly cumbersome to clean, creating further safety hazards if mislabelled.
As well, an improperly drained concrete patio can lead to erosion and damage, creating cracks, holes, and divots that may all lead to trips and falls.
A Slot Drain system’s slot opening can be as narrow as 0.5 inches (which is ADA-compliant), removing the need for grates and the worry of any raised edged to trip on. These grateless systems are easy for anyone to pass over without the fear of tripping or injury.
Concrete Patio Drainage Solutions by Slot Drain Systems
A concrete patio drainage channel like Slot Drain is the ideal way to protect your outdoor recreation area from the damaging effects of water.
The most efficient option available, Slot Drain is a sleek, easy-to-install option that will easily handle any water runoff from your patio area.
Questions?
Contact a Slot Drain drainage expert today for more information on patio drainage pricing, installation, and performance.
