On a commercial property or in some residential properties in Suffolk County, NY, storm drains are critical to carrying rainwater away from the building and off of the property. When this does not occur, there is a high risk this water flows and stands around the foundation of the home or building, resulting in significant risk of leaking and water damage.
Typically, storm drain systems are made out of two different types of pipe. This includes concrete pipe, which does not corrode but does crack and leak over time, or they are made out of corrugated steel. Steel pipes, even when treated to prevent corrosion, do eventually corrode. This type of corrosion occurs from exposure to bacteria which is known as MIC or Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion.
Regular maintenance by professional, experienced drain cleaner services can help to prevent MIC and to ensure organic material, such as leaves, twigs, vegetation, dirt, and other materials do not block the pipes. Signs of problems can include the following, but any slowdown of the drainage of the area is a good reason to call in drain cleaner companies.
You Have Not Maintained the Drains
If you have not been diligent in removing accumulated material from the storm drain grates, there is a greater risk of large amounts of surface material collecting in the pipes. Scheduling annual or every other year cleaning is a great way to proactively prevent emergency situations.
Sunken Areas on the Lawn
When pipes corrode and fail, or when there are leaks that keep the area under the pipe wet and soft, it is not uncommon for small areas over the pipe to start to sink. Larger areas are also not uncommon, and with commercial or residential property areas of pipe under driveways, parking lots or walkways, this can result in cracked or broken concrete.
Pooling Water
A significant sign you need to immediately call in a drain cleaner is water pooling on the grate or around the grate. These drains are designed to carry away normal amounts of rainwater for the Suffolk County, NY area, and any decrease in performance should be checked at the first opportunity.