We recommend checking the grates of your box drains and the gravel of your French drains (with gravel to the surface) and regularly removing any debris. Check drains more often in the fall or other times when debris can quickly cover your drain. Debris over a drain can make your drain ineffective and cause major water problems.
Continue reading to find out the best way to clean out your drains!
Box drains are designed to allow debris to settle into the bottom so it does not clog the drain pipes. This is why you may see a small amount of water remain in a bottom of a drain after a rain event. This debris should be cleaned out 1 – 2 times per season depending on how much debris you have moving into the drain.
– Screwdriver
– Shop vacuum (optional)
– Hand cultivator
– Garden hose and water supply
– Rubber drain bladder (if needed)
– Power auger (if needed)
Open the grate of each box drain (this usually involves taking out a few screws) and clean out any debris that may be in there. A wet/dry shop vacuum can help because it can reach further than your hands to remove more debris.
Next, flush the drain with a garden hose. Put the hose in the drain box and a few feet into the drainpipe if you can. Allow the water to run for about two minutes per drain. If your drain system has a clean out remove the top of the clean out and flush the pipe with hose water.