Tips for Ensuring the Efficiency of Angle Sided Grates Installed on Top of Your Concrete Driveway Drainage Trenches

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Tips for Ensuring the Efficiency of Angle Sided Grates Installed on Top of Your Concrete Driveway Drainage Trenches

28 October 2016
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog


The use of angle sided grates as a top covering for stormwater drainage trenches is commonplace in many residential driveways across Australia. The secret to ensuring that your angle sided grates work well to protect your driveway trenches from clogging caused by debris is to take proper care of your yard. Here are a number of useful tips to help prevent the angle sided grates installed over the drainage trenches along your concrete driveway from clogging up, minimising the risk of flooding on your property.

Prevent small debris from entering your trenches.

The openings on the angle sided grates are designed to keep large debris such as leaves out of your stromwater drains. Soil and loose concrete can easily pass through the grates along with the run-off. These elements will form sediment, which may cause your trenches to clog up, over time. The best way to ensure that they do not find their way into your trenches through the grates is to make sure your driveway and entire yard are well-cared for. Keep the trees, shrubs and other types of plants on your landscape healthy to help hold the soil together. Also, make sure to perform all necessary driveway maintenance and repair jobs in good time. This will help prevent loose concrete materials from being carried into your trenches through the grates.

Clear the leaves and other large debris from the top of your grates.

If the leaves and other large yard debris on top of your grates are allowed to stay there, they may cause clogging. This is because the elements will close the openings where stormwater is supposed to flow, causing flooding on your driveway and even the neighbouring street. And, even if your grates are designed to keep the leaves out, avoid raking or blowing the leaves from your yard into the driveway. Instead, put them in a bag or skip bin as they await kerbside pickup by your rubbish removal service. As you wouldn't want someone to get hurt while they are on your property, keep in mind that leaves left unattended on the grates can also be a safety hazard. They can become slippery and cause people walking in the driveway to fall.

Your angle sided grates will need the most attention during the rainy spell when your driveway drainage trenches are busiest. If there is too much debris trapped inside the trenches as the rainy days are approaching, do not attempt to remove the grates by yourself. Instead, call in an expert.