Parking lots are a critical part of your building’s façade. To anyone visiting your premises for the first time, the parking lot serves as a reference for what they can expect to see inside the building, says Spectrum PM. A decent parking lot that is easy to navigate and has plenty of room for parking is a plus for any business.
As the gateway to your building, the parking lot offers a sneak peek into the quality of your property management. It should not only be accessible, but its appearance should complement the aesthetics of your building. Whatever makes the parking lot hard to use will hurt your business directly.
A common problem seen in commercial building parking lots is flooding. A flooded parking lot or one with standing water poses a huge problem for everyone using your premises. Whether those people are walking or driving, a flooded parking lot constitutes a safety hazard for everyone.
Also, constant flooding in your parking lot will damage the asphalt or concrete. Not only do you lose revenue in the form of unhappy tenants, customers, and visitors, but your property maintenance costs will go up. But the worst part is flooding on your parking lot is actually a problem that can easily be prevented.
Why does your parking lot flood?
The two major reasons why parking lots flood are:
Insufficient drainage
Poorly designed drainage channels and insufficient slope can impair a parking lot’s ability to efficiently discharge rainwater. There is also a chance that, although the drainage systems are properly designed and working, they are simply not enough. If your drainage system is insufficient or malfunctioning, you will have chronic flooding issues on your property.
Clogged stormwater systems
Even the best-designed drainage system will malfunction if it is not properly maintained. Clogged basins, pipes, and trenches make your storm drainage system effectively non-existent. Your property will experience the same flooding issues as a property without a drainage system. It is not enough to have a drainage system; it must be maintained.
Which of these two problems is the root cause of the constant flooding in your parking lot? We will assume that, as per city regulations, your property has sufficient and well-designed storm drains. This means that your problem is probably due to reason number two.
How to care for parking lot storm drains
Parking lot storm drains need frequent cleaning because debris that falls on the parking lot surface eventually finds its way into the drainage system. Regular storm drain cleaning ensures proper water flow and prevents blockages. How do you keep a storm drain clear and flowing?
Sweep the lot regularly
To minimize the risk of storm drain blockage, parking lots should be cleaned on a schedule. Parking lot cleaning should be done weekly, not just when the area gets dirty or after it rains. Any debris around the inlet of the storm drain should be removed.
Create sediment traps
Sediment traps keep debris out of a storm drain by detaining runoff long enough to let the sediment inside the water settle. If you have a serious and recurring problem of flooding in your parking lot, this is one of the most effective strategies for solving it.
Flush the parking lot storm drain
Hydro jetting is a drain cleaning method that uses high-pressure water to blast away the debris and blockages inside your storm drain. Have your storm drain hydro jetted on a schedule – preferably once every year – helps to get rid of difficult problems like sludge, grease, and tree roots.
Vacuum the storm drain
Unlike hydro jetting, which pushes the debris out of the storm drain, this method uses a vacuum truck or specialized equipment to suck the debris out of the storm drain. The removed debris is then taken to a designated site for proper disposal.
The importance of parking lot storm drain cleaning
Proper storm drain maintenance and cleaning helps your business in many ways.
- Flood prevention: By helping you avoid the events that lead to water buildup, regular storm drain cleaning allows you to minimize the risk of flooding in your parking lot.
- Ensure safety: Standing water and floodwater create avoidable hazards in your parking lot. Regular storm drain cleaning removes those hazards.
- Protect your property: Proper storm drain cleaning and maintenance prolong the lifespan of your parking lot and the storm drain itself.
- Lower maintenance costs: It costs more to fix a broken storm drain or repair damaged concrete and asphalt surfaces than to clean your storm drain.
- Ensure regulatory compliance: Without proper stormwater management, you run the risk of heavy fines and penalties from the city.
- Improve property value: Clean parking lots and well-maintained storm drains boost the curb appeal of your property, making it more attractive to visitors and potential buyers.
When planning and implementing a stormwater management program for your parking lot, remember that the quality of your results depends on the competence of the people creating the plan. That is why you only want to work with professionals to create this program.