Will a channel drain prevent flooding risk in your home or business?

A channel drain is a long, linear drain that is designed to catch water flowing on a large slope without having to have the concrete slope to one point. They are commonly seen in front of garage doors where the driveway slopes towards the garage.

Water entering the drain flows to a silt trap (sometimes called a cess pit), where suspended particles can fall to the bottom and not be released into the stormwater system.

Channel drains (also called drainage channels, linear channels and trench drains) are an excellent way of helping to protect your property from flooding. They drainage trough comes with a grate along the top to help stop debris such as leaves entering the drain. Installing a channel drain is part of the drainlaying and plumbing services we offer.

Applications for channel drains include:

In front of garage doors and doorways to stop water entering

• On the edge of swimming pools to drain water away from the area around the pool

• Car parks

• Patios

• Sports courts

• Warehouses and coolstores

• Parks and gardens

• Pathways

• Showers

A channel drain placed at the top of a slope will stop water flowing down the slope (other than water that hits it from directly above).

Do you have problems with flooding?

While a channel drain won’t prevent a large flood, it might buy you some time as it will help prevent an accumulation of water where the surrounding land is fundamentally flat. A good example is to place a channel drain along the side of a house where a neighbour’s property might naturally drain towards it. Redirecting the water straight into the stormwater main is an efficient way to deal with water on an impermeable surface.

If you’d like to talk to us about channel drains, please get in touch here.