Trench drains are one of the most standard and effective drain types, which means that you might need to install one at some point if you own a home or business. Most of the drainage that is on any property will be handled by various kinds of trench drains. Many people don’t realize that there are lots of kinds of trench drains, and so they are not aware of all of their options when it comes to planning the ways to handle runoff on their property.
Before you buy a trench drain of any kind, you should be familiar with all of the types of drains that are out there. There are many different kinds of drains of this type for many different kinds of purposes. Knowing which kinds of drains are out there can ensure that you get the right kind of drain for your specific use case, preventing flooding, standing water, and drainage issues over the long run.
What Types of Trench Drains Can You Choose From?
These are the most common kinds of trench drains. You will need to be sure that you know what the peak expected water volume will be during any given period, and you need to understand the slope that is required to make sure a drainage solution works correctly. Always be sure to outsource to the experts if you have never installed drainage of any kind.
You will get better results from your installed drainage if you have the support and skill on hand that is necessary to order the right drainage solutions and install them properly.
1. Standard Trench Drain
The standard trench drain is a channel that is protected by a grating or a cover that allows water to flow through or under it into the drain below. This kind of trench drain is commonly used for roadways, factory locations, and residential drainage because it is so versatile. Your trench drain might be made from stainless steel, polymers of various kinds or even concrete.
The gratings that cover this kind of drain can also be made from various materials, typically determined by the environment that they are going to be used in. In a brewery, for example, you will need to pick stainless steel trench drains and gratings so that the caustic nature of the water runoff from processing doesn’t break down polymer drains.
Standard trench drains can be premade and then installed, or they can be custom-poured at your location. This drain type can also be customized to ensure that vehicles can pass over it without issue and the gratings can be made to screw into place to prevent them from being inadvertently removed by wheeled vehicles, or the passage of lots of feet.
2. Slot Drains
Slot drains are another kind of trench drain. These drains are made with narrow channels at the top and a larger trench drain underneath that captures the water and sends it away to storm drains or catch basins. This drain type is common in locations where trench drain gratings are not practical or in areas where cosmetic requirements prevent standard trench drains being installed. You might see this kind of drain in walkways, patios, or even factory locations where there is a lot of foot traffic each day.
A slot drain can still handle a lot of water volume, making this a very practical design for areas where there is a risk of high volumes of water that need to be removed during periods of peak flow. These drains are still easy to clean and care for, making them highly versatile and cosmetically pleasing.
3. True Radius Trench Drains
True Radius drains are made to fit the curve of an area that would otherwise have a trench drain bisecting it. Curved walkways and paths, patio areas, or pool surrounds are ideal locations for True Radius drains. These drains are the same as a standard trench drain in every way other than their unique, curved shape.
This is a unique and highly effective solution that will hold up to years of use and which can be customized in a variety of ways to suit specific needs. Whether you need your True Radius drain to be highly sturdy due to heavy wheeled traffic, or you want it to be even more esthetically pleasing by adding custom, patterned gratings, you can make your True Radis drain installation a beautiful part of your landscaping or property.
4. Utility Trench
Utility trenches are made to protect things like high-voltage power lines that are buried in the ground or gas lines. These trenches can be reinforced and made from various materials depending on the location where these important and potentially dangerous connections are placed. These drains are typically prefabricated and then installed, adding stability and safety to construction sites and finished buildings.
Without a utility trench solution, these spaces for essential things like power and utilities would have to be poured by hand from concrete, which is not always the most ideal solution. Utility trenches are a common solution used by construction companies for this purpose, but you might have jobs that you are tackling at your home or business that require this kind of drainage solution as well.
Trench Drains Are Practical and Highly Effective
From protecting high voltage power to offering long-term solutions for preventing flooding and standing water on your property, trench drains can do it all. There are so many styles of these drains and they can be customized in so many ways. You should have no trouble finding the right drainage solution for your specific needs now that you know more about these drains and what they can do for your home or business location.
Always make sure to reach out to the experts if you have questions about how to order or install trench drains of any kind. You will get better results for your time and effort if you make sure that you are getting the right prep work done for your drainage solutions as well as following the right installation processes.
