One of the main considerations when building a residential, commercial or industrial facility is proper drainage. Drainage systems are essential to facilitate surface drainage. In industrial settings, these systems also facilitate the disposal of liquid waste generated in the manufacturing units. Installing the best drainage on your property guarantees protection against flooding, prevents slip and fall hazards, protects the landscaping against erosion and promotes a healthy living environment.
Trench drain grates are among the most popular drainage systems available on the market. If you want to install a drainage system on a new property or upgrade an existing one, a grated trench system should top your list of options. This guide explores everything you would like to learn about trench grates to help you make an informed choice.
Grated Trench Systems in Brief
Trench drains are the most common drainage systems and consist of long, trough-like channels. These channels drive water away from a facility and have a linear-shaped grate cover. They ensure efficient drainage of stormwater and runoff on a property. The trench drain collects water and redirects it away from structures. Surface water and other liquids flow through the grated cover into the trench drain and away from the property. Different materials are used to make drain grates including cast iron, plastic, galvanized steel, stainless steel, FRP, ductile iron, black powder-coated steel aluminum, polymer concrete, brass and bronze. Each of these materials has its own qualities, pros and cons.
A grated trench system is versatile and can serve in several areas including:
Heavy Duty Industries: From airports, military facilities, docks and ports, refineries, warehouses, manufacturing facilities to transportation terminals grated trench systems can hold a lot of weight and help with drainage in these facilities.
Animal Facilities: There’s a lot of liquid waste created in farms, hospitals, and zoos and grated drain systems come handy in facilitating cleaning and maintenance.
Landscaping: You can use grated trench drains on parks, residential facilities, landmarks, and for fountains to facilitate groundwater drainage.
Food and Beverage Industries: From abattoirs, seafood markets, dairy farms to breweries and wineries, this is the perfect drainage system to keep these facilities clean and sanitary.
Education, Commercial, and Residential Locations: Facilities such as parking lots, commercial kitchens, gyms, bathrooms, swimming pools and playgrounds require effective drainage and grated trench drains work perfectly.
Automotive Industry: Facilities handling vehicles including dealerships, car washes, and gas stations and parking garages can benefit a lot from grated drains to stay clean and drain excess water.
The versatile nature of grated trench drains makes them the most obvious choice of your facility. They are easy to customize to suit your drainage requirements and landscaping needs.
Selecting the Right Grated Trench System
When installing a grated trench system, there are several things to consider:
Needs Assessment
You need to assess the drainage requirements for your property. Every facility has unique drainage requirements. For instance, a manufacturing facility will be keen to find the best drainage system for liquid waste. For landscaping purposes, for instance, you need a different system to allow efficient surface drainage. In one case, iron grates might work to accommodate heavy traffic in an industrial facility, but in another, stainless steel grates are perfect for enhancing aesthetics on a residential property. Choosing the drain system will also involve determining the flow rate. You have to consider who much fluid you expect the drain system to remove and how quickly.
Aesthetics
When selecting the grates for your trench drains, you have to consider their visual appeal. If you want to drain your landscaping, you should go for easily customizable grates to add curb appeal. Stainless steel grates, for instance, work perfectly for aesthetics due to their bright and shiny appearance.
Load Capacity
The best trench grate and channels should be strong enough to handle the type of traffic you expect at your facility. Consider the kind of traffic you expect to cross over the grates and choose the strongest grate trench system.
ADA Compliance
The “Americans with Disabilities Act,” is a government-set standard and dictates the type of materials or systems used in public construction. The grates you choose must comply with ADA guidelines (holes parallel to the general direction of traffic have to be ½” or less).
Ease of Maintenance
When choosing a trench drain system, you should consider how you will clean the drains and drain grates. Look for materials and trench drains that easy to clean.
Durability
Heat and chemical resistance are features you should consider for your grated trench drain system. The best system should withstand extreme conditions without breaking down. In industrial facilities, chemical-resistant drains and grates to prevent corrosion.
Final Thoughts
Grated trench systems are perfect for facilitating property drainage at any facility. To get the best out of this drainage system, you have to choose the size and material carefully. The best-grated trench systems are durable, strong, ADA compliant, easy to maintain and visually appealing. With these tips, you can now install the best drainage system for your property.
