Troubleshooting Standing Water on Patios and Pool Decks
If your clients have standing water on their patios, be sure to inspect the issue as quickly as possible to avoid damage. Here are some potential solutions.
September 14, 2023
Original article from NDS
If your customers are calling about repetitive flooding on patios and pool decks, it’s likely the water has no way to disperse. It’s important to tackle these issues immediately, as lingering water can be a slip hazard, as well as cause mold and mildew to build up and stain. Additionally, ponding can become a mosquito breeding ground and can erode hardscaping. Help your clients eradicate these issues before the damage becomes costly with these methods.
#1: Remove standing water with channel drains or pipe grates.
Channel drains, also called trench drains, can be a great solution to standing water as they capture runoff from large paved areas, like driveways, patios, pool areas, and more. Long and narrow, the grates can drain moderate runoff and direct it away from the area through an underground drainpipe.
PRO TIP: Ensure hardscaping is sloped toward the channel drain, or the drains may not work as expected. Check the drains during your maintenance visits for any debris or clogging for highest efficacy.
#2: Remove standing water in smaller areas with pipe grates.
Consider adding a pipe grate to smaller areas with less runoff, such as small lawns, landscaped areas, and walkways. NDS has grates that fit directly onto pipes and offers pipe fittings that can be used alone or in a series to collect and redirect flow. The water will then drain through the underground pipe system to either a discharge point or infiltration system, such as a dry well.
PRO TIP: Ensure the grate location is in an area that receives light runoff. Like the previous tip, all hardscapes should slope towards the grate and should be cleared of debris during maintenance visits.
#3: Prevent runoff from flooding adjacent landscapes with the catch basin or dry well.
Use a catch basin, grate, and drainpipe to capture excess surface water from the patio or pool deck and avoid a mess. These tools redirect the water to a downstream discharge point. Infiltration systems like Flo Well dry wells can collect, temporarily store, and evenly release water underground over time.
PRO TIP: Ensure proper drainage placement so these tools can intercept the runoff immediately to prevent flooding around the patio or pool deck.
ADD: Build Business with SiteOne and NDS
Increase revenue by troubleshooting these common property issues. Learn best stormwater practices and how to sell drainage services by enrolling in the NDS Professional Drainage Contractor Course and getting certified.
SiteOne associates are always available to answer any questions and recommend products for the job. For more information on how to add drainage as a service, visit our Equipped for Drainage page.