The floors of dog kennels, animal hospitals and veterinary are frequently subject to messes from excited or nervous pets. Keeping pets and people safe and protecting your property requires regular cleaning protocols. The inclusion of modern floor drains when building or renovating an animal centric facility improves cleanliness and reduces odors. This blog helps you to understand what features are important when selecting drainage for a kennel, veterinary clinic or animal hospital.
Why Drainage is Important
Proper drainage can help with both the active and passive management of messes caused by furry friends. Not just from waste or urine but also from muddy paws and messy eaters. Proper drainage eliminates waste and bacteria, keeping animals safe and elevating the quality of services offered at your business.
Frequent washdowns help eliminate odors, and create a safer and more hygienic environment for your kennel, veterinary clinic or animal hospital. Drains and proper drainage channels allow for staff to washdown areas quickly and easily creating a culture of cleanliness in your facility.
It’s important to pick drainage that meets the needs of your facility. Choosing improper drainage can lead to a host of problems. Drains that lack durability can become damaged posing a hazard to people and pets. Small drains with low flow rates can become blocked. Non-hygienic drains can trap waste and debris which promotes bacteria growth contributing foul odors and unsanitary conditions in your facility.
What to Look for In an Animal Hospital & Kennel Drainage System
When Starstruck Labradors decided to build a new kennel, they faced a unique challenge in finding a suitable drainage system.
“We needed a long drain with a level top and a sloped bottom,” said Carleton Pope, co-owner of Starstruck Labradors, “And no more than a 1/2″ opening, so that puppy paws wouldn’t be able to fall into it.”
Slot Drain Systems was able to meet these requirements with our 6000 Series Slot Drain. As you can see in the pictures above it provided a flush fitting linear drain system with a ½” opening to protect puppy paws while controlling messes. Below you can find other features you should look for in a drain for a kennel, animal hospital or veterinary clinic.
Nonporous Drain Channel
Hygienic drainage systems should be constructed from non-porous material. Nonporous material does absorb odors or debris. It can be cleaned to the microbiological level using standard sanitary procedures.
Stainless Steel Construction
Stainless steel is non-porous and corrosion resistant. Stainless steel is also physically very durable. Stainless steel drains can withstand foot and even vehicle traffic (if they are properly load rated) without experiencing structural degradation. Stainless steel drains are less likely to crack or bend than those made of plastic or polymer composites.
Pre-Sloped
Presloped drains are manufactured so that when installed level to the floor they have a 0.5% slope underground. Presloped drains have self cleaning properties. When filled with liquid they naturally direct water and waste towards the drain outlet.
Different Drains Advantages and Drawbacks
Drainage is a big decision, it’s important to consider all the options and work with a consultative partner on your drainage system.
“I was not familiar with these types of drains,” said Carleton Pope, co-owner of Starstruck Labradors, “And Viking (from Slot Drain Systems) was wonderful to work with and very patient with all my questions. Additionally we had some unique requirements on our install, and Slot Drain Systems was able to custom fabricate everything, and the cost was very reasonable.”
Here are some of the different types of drains you might find when doing comparative shopping for your kennel, veterinary clinic or animal hospital.
Area Drains are point drains that are generally round or square in shape; they are meant to drain small to medium areas and have limited flow rates. Area drains can also require complex floor slopes to properly drain a given area. Area drains can have lower up front costs but higher life cycle costs related to cleaning and maintenance.
Trench Drains are linear drainage systems designed to quickly and efficiently remove excess surface water by using a trough-shaped channel covered with a grate. Traditionally trench drains are “U” shaped or some variation thereof. Trench drains are completely open along their length with no variation between the width of the drain walls and the trench opening. To clean trench drains properly the grates and covers need to be removed and scrubbed this is a time consuming process. Broken or bent grates can also pose a hazard to people and pets.
Slot Drains are linear drainage systems characterized by a narrow, elongated slot-like opening along the top of the drain that allows liquid to enter the drainage channel. Slot Drains feature slim flush fitting openings with large concealed drain bodies that allow for high flow rates with minimalist aesthetics. Slot Drain Systems are ideal for kennels, animal hospitals and veterinary clinics due to their integrated design advantages:
- Made from T304 or T316 stainless steel
- Presloped and self-cleaning
- Flush fitting minimalist aesthetic
- Safe and accessible design
- Optional Flush Flo and Clean in Place systems
Catch Basins create a physical break between above and below grade plumbing systems. This break can function to trap and hold debris from surface operations before it enters the underground system. The use of strainer baskets in catch basins is best practice. Allowing for the easy removal and cleaning of debris as well as the retrieval of lost items.
Durable Drainage Solutions
Built quality is very important in drainage. Since the drains will be permanently encased in concrete you want to select a drain that is properly engineered, made from high quality materials and built to last.
“This really is a top notch product. I couldn’t believe how great the build quality was when I installed it, and I realized this drain would be around a lot longer than I will. No regrets.”
Maintaining a clean and sanitary environment in animal hospitals and kennels is crucial for the safety and well-being of both animals and humans. A reliable drainage system plays a significant role in achieving this goal. The Slot Drain System is an ideal choice, offering durability, dependability, and essential features necessary for effective drainage in animal care facilities. Contact our sales staff today to see how we can provide customized solutions tailored to your facility. Maintain cleanliness, reduce odors and elevate your kennel, veterinary clinic or animal hospital with a drain from Slot Drain Systems.
