Storm drain repair and maintenance is likely not very high on your list of priorities if you run your own company. After all, as a business owner, you’re probably more focused on what happens inside your business than what happens outside of it.
That being said, properly maintaining your storm drain, catch basin or storm sewer is an important preventative task if you want to avoid bigger problems on your commercial property. These systems capture stormwater runoff and when they’re working properly you may even forget they’re there. However, when they’re not functioning properly, it might be time to talk to an asphalting and pavement professional.
What should you be on the lookout for to protect your commercial property from a broken storm drain—and the problems that come with a broken drain? Learn more about sunken and broken storm drains below.
What Problems Can A Sunken Or Broken Storm Drain Cause?
If your storm drain is sinking into the pavement or concrete or not functioning properly, the problems may start small and gradually get worse over time. At first, it might just impact your parking lot with unsightly and hazardous pooling water.
As time goes on, that excess water runoff can erode your pavement and cause other more expensive issues. You may wind up breaking the connection to your main sewer line and causing even further structural instability and sinkholes, all of which become much more costly to fix. As such, the best strategy is to address storm drain problems with a professional asphalt and pavement company sooner rather than later.
How Do I Know If My Storm Drain Needs Repair?
If the problem with your storm drain is a cracked pipe underground, you may struggle to find signs of drain issues right away. Even so, there are a few tell-tale signs to be on the lookout for, such as damp parts of ground or pavement or plants that seem to be thriving in an otherwise barren lot.
More obvious signs of storm drain problems include sinkholes and slow-draining or overflowing storm drains. Generally, these will be more costly to fix, as opposed to issues you discover from more subtle clues. If you notice any signs of a damaged storm drain, you should consider a consultation with a local, trusted company with experience mitigating these issues.
How Long Will A Storm Drain Repair Take?
Depending on how extensive the damage is, the time to fix a storm drain can vary. Generally speaking, jobs can be completed in four to seven days, although this depends on a variety of factors. Reaching out to a professional team like AA Asphalting can help you get a better estimate of the time it will take to repair your storm drain.
What Is Involved In Storm Drain Repair?
Storm drain repair is a bit more involved than you might initially think. Most storm drain repair jobs involve removing the asphalt or concrete pavement from the basin, repairing or replacing the storm drain or catch basin and repairing the pavement and drain grate. A reputable company will work with you to find a time to fix the problem so as to minimize the impact the repairs will have on your day-to-day business.
How Do I Know If A Company Is Qualified For A Large, Commercial Storm Drain Repair Job?
Due to the varying tasks involved with a storm drain repair job, it’s best to work with a company that is qualified for commercial storm drain repair work. Take a look at customer testimonials and work samples and ask the company you’re speaking to about their experience dealing with each phase of a commercial storm drain repair job before you hire them. Taking these steps early on in the process can help you avoid the costly mistake of picking an unqualified or inexperienced contractor to handle such an important job.
How Can I Prepare For Storm Drain Repair?
Although it is a pain in the neck to close off sections of your lot in order to accommodate any kind of construction, these early mitigation efforts will pay off. If you wait too long to have repairs done it could result in a structural collapse of your parking lot. As such, it’s important to work with your asphalt and pavement restoration company to get an accurate estimate regarding how long the job will take. From there, you can adequately communicate the work to employees and customers to best accommodate having a construction team on site to complete the job.
Storm drain repair is a critical task when it comes to preventing further damage to your commercial property and parking lot. Contact a qualified asphalt and pavement specialist in the Pacific Northwest like AA Asphalting to learn more about how to best handle any complex hard surface jobs early on.