A Few Signs Your Parking Lot Sewer Drains Are in Need of Repair
If you own a business with a parking lot, you need to take care of not only the parking lot itself but also the sewer drains and manholes in your parking lot. If you don't take care of these common parking lot features, your parking lot could suffer and your customers may have complaints. Here are a few signs that your sewer drains or manholes are in need of repair.
#1 Clogged Drains
The most common sewer drain issue is clogged drains. Over the years, excessive debris, ranging from leaves and silt to trash, can flow down your sewer drain. Your sewer drain was made to facilitate the flow of water away from your parking lot, not all the debris in your parking lot. All of this excess debris can cause your drains to get clogged. Your drain lines can also get clogged or damaged when the roots from nearby trees interfere with your sewer lines.
When your sewer and drainage lines become clogged, it can lead to flooding in your parking lot, especially after a heavy rain. The best way to solve this problem is by being proactive and not letting it occur in the first place. Have your drain and sewer lines inspected once a year. During this yearly inspection, your drain lines can be cleared of all the debris that ends up in them over the year. This preventative maintenance step can help you avoid a flooded parking lot.
You can also avoid clogged drain lines by sweeping and cleaning your parking lot on a weekly basis.
#2 Crumbling Asphalt and Concrete
Ideally, your sewer drains and manholes will last for years. However, over time, the weather can naturally damage your sewer drains and manholes and erode away the materials holding them in place. Sometimes, when water builds up around your sewer and manholes, this buildup of water can cause the material around them to disintegrate at a faster rate.
Having crumbling sewers and manholes can be unsafe for your customers and their vehicles, as well. If you notice that the structure around any drainage holes in your parking lot start to break down, you need to address this issue immediately. Call up a concrete contractor and have them come out and repair the damage.
#3 Extensive Pooling and Ponding of Water
The third sign that you need to watch out for is pooling and ponding of water. This can cause multiple layers of problems. First, it makes it more difficult for people to drive through your parking lot. It also makes it difficult for people to safely walk through your parking lot. Additionally, when water pools in your parking lot, it provides an opportunity for the water to make its way through the foundation and damage the structure of your parking lot.
Pooling can occur when your drains are clogged or backed up. However, that is not the only cause of extensive water pooling in your parking lot. If there are uneven areas in your parking lot or if your parking lot was not sloped properly when it was installed, that can cause pooling. Your parking lot needs to be sloped in a manner that draws the water toward the drains. If your parking lot is not sloped correctly, you'll need a concrete contractor, like one from Branche Industries, to come in and repave park of your parking lot so that it flows properly.
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