Perimeter Maintenance

BC Redi Rooter Perimeter Maintenance

It’s easy for any drainage system to become clogged with debris of all sorts, including leaves, pine needles, silt, tree roots, and more. Because of this, it’s essential to schedule routine maintenance for your system in order to avoid damage to your home, both inside and outside. This is sometimes referred to as “perimeter maintenance”.

What is perimeter maintenance?

Your drainage system, for the most part, is buried underground and sits on a bed of gravel. That helps protect it, but there are openings in which debris can gather, so these areas need to be cleaned regularly in order to preserve the system itself and to prevent events such as flooding.

Rain gutters can be a problem for a number of reasons, so you’ll want to make sure they’re clean. When they fill with leaves, roofing, and other material, they can become clogged and the solid material will not proceed down the downspout. That’s an invitation for flooding! Because of this, an annual cleaning is recommended. Cleaning may be needed more frequently if you live on a heavily wooded property.

Similarly, surface drains collect a variety of debris. You may find these at the bottom of a downhill driveway or outside a basement door. These should also be serviced on a regular basis to keep them free of material that could cause flooding.

Tree root issues should also be checked during a perimeter maintenance inspection. Roots can wreak havoc with drainage systems and with your home’s foundation as well if trees are planted too close to your house. Many technicians view tree roots as the fiercest enemy of any perimeter drainage system, so be on the lookout for problems.

Finally, the periodic flushing of your system is essential, with the schedule depending on the age of your system. A newer drainage system may only require flushing every 4-8 years while the old clay system at your historic home might require flushing every year or two.

Remember, keeping your drainage system in excellent working condition protects you and your home from incidents that could be expensive and time-consuming to fix. For more information on perimeter maintenance procedures and costs, call the experts at BC Redi Rooter.