Sidewalks are meant to be a safe surface for pedestrians to walk across. If a sidewalk is covered in water, then it can cause issues. Nobody wants to get wet, and you never know if there is damage in the area where the puddle is, which can lead to injury. You can go into the street to bypass these puddles, which is also dangerous. The best way to avoid puddles on sidewalks is to prevent them from happening in the first place by installing a sidewalk drain.

Why Sidewalks Need Drainage

Just like anywhere else, standing water can cause a sidewalk to deteriorate, leading to cracks and potholes that only continue to worsen without drainage in place. The worse the cracks and potholes get, the bigger the puddles will get–which adds to the danger in the winter, creating large, icy surfaces that someone can slip on and fall. The cold weather can also cause cracks to expand, further worsening the situation. All this creates an unsafe situation that can lead to serious injuries and damage.

By installing a sidewalk grate drain, you will eliminate and prevent standing water from occurring. Instead of collecting on the sidewalk, the water runoff will enter the drain channel and make its way to the sewage system or other designated outlet. This will create a safer, cleaner sidewalk and help it to last much longer.

Essential Components of a Sidewalk Channel Drain

When designing a sidewalk drain grate, you need to determine where you need better drainage. Once you've pinpointed the location, you can start on the actual design of the under sidewalk drain. There are three essential components you need to include in the design:

1. The Catchment Area

The first part of the sidewalk drain is the catchment area. This portion sits on a slope or close to an area of standing water, like a pond or creek. The catchment area must be big enough for water runoff to flow with ease without getting blocked by any structures or other possible obstructions.

2. A Drainage Field

A drainage field is the area of the sidewalk channel drain that directs the water runoff away from the area. It is important to ensure the drainage field is far enough from structures to avoid damage or flooding.

3. An Outlet

The outlet is the final essential component for a drain under sidewalk area. This is where the drainage system directs the collected water runoff away from the sidewalk. Runoff is transported through a storm drain or underground pipe to the outlet.

Getting proper sidewalk drainage is about more than just the right location and components; you must also ensure that you choose the most effective system possible for the job.

Options to Consider

For the most effective drainage, you want to choose a high-quality, reliable sidewalk grate drain. Landscape Drains is a company that specializes in landscape drainage solutions, including sidewalk drains. They offer some of the most effective solutions and have two styles of drainage systems available:

The Landscape Drains Trench Drain

Trench drains are one of the more traditional options for drainage. These systems feature wide, subsurface drain channels covered by a grate that prevents large objects from falling into the system. They can handle large amounts of water runoff with ease without getting clogged.

The Landscape Drains Trench Drain features a sleek stainless-steel construction that ensures it will last a long time. It ships fully assembled, making it easy to install, and it is also easy to maintain. Unlike other brands, the Landscape Trench Drain has the option of decorative grates to match the surrounding aesthetics. This system also works with the Landscape Drains catch basin and strainer basket, which can catch objects that fall into the system and allow for their easy retrieval.

The Landscape Drains Slot Drain

Another Landscape Drains option is the Slot Drain System. The Slot Drain is a new take on the traditional trench drain design with some differences; unlike the trench drain, which has a wide channel and requires a grate cover, the Slot Drain's channel opening is thin enough not to require a grate. It comes in 3 widths: 1/2", 1", and 1-1/4" wide, and they have flow rates of 11, 18, and 27 GPM, respectively

The Slot Drain has many models, with the 6,000 and 7,000 Series offering the most durability for an under sidewalk drain with ADA-compliant options. They feature stainless steel construction and heavy-duty load rating, ensuring they can easily handle heavy traffic. They come pre-sloped and pre-assembled and are easy to maintain, with options for automated cleaning like Flush Flo and Clean-In-Place. Like the Landscape Trench Drains, you can add a catch basin and strainer basket to catch small objects and retrieve them easily.

Keeping Safe with a Sidewalk Drain

A lack of water drainage on a sidewalk can cause countless issues, many of which can result in serious injuries. You want to install a drainage system to avoid those injuries and any damage that can come with standing water on a sidewalk. These systems allow the sidewalk to dry quickly and minimize issues associated with standing water.

Contact the experts at Landscape Drains today to learn more about these systems and how they can work as a sidewalk channel drain.