Friday, March 6, 2009

Servicing Your Parking Lot Stormwater Drain

By Phil Dagobah

Making sure that your parking lot is protected from floods by keeping your stormwater drains and catch basins maintained is important. The first impression that many people have of a business is the parking lot, and it's no good if your lot is unnecessarily flooded during the rainy season.

Keeping your parking lot in good working order and maintaining it against flooding isn't as easy as some people think. As a business owner, you need to be proactive and make sure that your stormwater drains and catch basins are clear of obstructions and in good working order.

If you find that your business parking lot has flooded after a heavy rain, then the likely culprit is a blocked stormwater drain or catch basin. Just like leaky basements, parking lots need to be serviced and maintained on a regular basis to prevent flooding and damage from weather.

It's a big headache if your building's parking lot becomes submerged under flood water after a heavy rain, but it's completely avoidable if you take the proper steps. Rain water just loves to amass in flat, low areas like parking lots, so you need to tend to your stormwater drains.

If your parking lot has the proper kind of flood prevention devices installed, then you should be able to go years without having to service or repair your stormwater drains and catch basins. The improper prevention devices, however, could cause you to spend thousands in repairs and new equipment installation.

Protecting your parking lot from the weather means much more than just plowing the snow to let drivers have a place to park. It also means anticipating the melted snow when the weather warms up, and making sure your stormwater drains are ready for the extra amount of water that will be generated.

Your stormwater drain and catch basin will allow you to direct any excess flood water away from your parking lot and toward another area where it will not cause damage. In some cases this leads to the main sanitary sewer or even to a nearby ditch, culvert or creek.

Without the proper flood prevention devices installed, parking lots are a favorite place for water to accumulate during a heavy rain storm. There is no faster way to scare of potential clients than by having a flooded parking lot that was not ready for the bad weather. - 15246

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