Effective Drainage For Your Farm and Barn
Keep your farm shop or barn dry and functional with a high flow, stainless steel, linear drain from Slot Drain Systems. Whether you are raising livestock or growing crops a proper drainage system protects your assets from erosion and contamination.
Modern drainage is much more than a hole in the floor of your barn; it is part of an integrated plumbing system. Ensuring that your drains have the proper flow rates, that they are durable and easy to maintain and that they discharge at an appropriate location are all considerations when designing a drainage system for your farm.
Improper drainage can result in erosion which over time can lead to foundation degradation and building damage. Improper drainage can also result in unsanitary conditions for livestock leading to costly health issues. Proper drainage is an investment in your farm. Choosing the correct drainage shouldn’t be a challenge. In this blog we’ll look at some of the unique situations that drains encounter in agriculture and what features farmers should look for when choosing a drain.
Flush fitting corrosion resistant drainage for livestock
For feet or hooves floors should be accessible and smooth. Protecting the welfare of your livestock is not just the right thing to do, it’s the financially responsible choice. Grated channel drains can easily become damaged or bent due to normal wear and tear on a farming operation. Bent grates and sharp edges can create hazards for livestock and humans. Livestock operations are best served by durable flush fitting drains with narrow openings like slot drains. These drains prevent trips and falls by providing a smooth and durable surface on the exposed edges of the drain.
As a durable and corrosion resistant metal stainless steel is the ideal material for drains on the farm. Beyond being physically strong, stainless steel is chemically strong due to its minimum 10.5% chromium content. The chromium forms a protective outer layer on the stainless steel that makes it resistant to corrosive substances like urine, pesticides or solvents. If scratched stainless steel can even heal itself as the chromium reacts with the air and reforms the protective layer. Concrete and plastic drains have much lower corrosion resistance making them less ideal for farm drainage systems.
Durable load rated drainage systems for equipment shops
Modern farm equipment just keeps getting bigger, whether it’s combines, trucks or tractors every year it seems like the new models are heavier than the year before. When installing washdown drainage in your shop it is important to understand load class ratings and choose the correctly rated drain. Drains rated for light pedestrian traffic should not be installed in areas where they might encounter forklifts, tractors or other heavy equipment. To learn more about load rating classes you can visit our load ratings page.
Durable drains will be designed to structurally integrate with the concrete. This ensures that they evenly distribute loads preventing cracking and separation around the edge of the drain. Drains that are lacking in structural design or drains with plastic bodies or grates can crack or otherwise degrade over time causing cracking of the concrete and in extreme situations even deforming the body of the drain.
Design and flow: what are my drainage options?
Different drains have different designs and flow rates and it’s important to choose the right drain for your operation. Choosing the wrong drain can lead to headaches down the road when you find out that it isn’t draining properly. Let’s look at the three most popular types of manufactured drains and identify their benefits and drawbacks.
Area Drains are point drains that are generally round or square in shape and are designed to drain a specific area. While area drains are the perfect choice for small rooms they have relatively low flow rates requiring multiple drains to be installed to accommodate larger areas. This can lead to complex floor slopes that create challenges for equipment and livestock. Area drains are also prone to becoming blocked due to their smaller inlet sizes. An area drain approach can have lower upfront costs but longer lifecycle costs if they provide insufficient drainage for the chosen area.
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. Trench drains are completely open along their length with no variation between the width of the drain walls and the trench opening. Trench drains are ideal for areas with large volumes of both liquids and solids. They are often grated to allow persons or vehicles to walk or drive across them. These grates are prone to bending or breaking over time creating hazards for equipment and livestock.
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 a slim flush fitting opening with a large concealed drain body. This means they have the advantages of trench drains without the drawbacks of grates. Slot Drains are self-cleaning and feature good structural stability and high load rating capabilities when properly installed. Slot Drains are ideal for dealing with high volumes of liquid in high traffic areas.
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.
Easily Installed in New Barn Builds or Retrofits
Whether you are completing a new build or a renovation of an existing building Slot Drain Systems are a natural choice for your drainage needs. The original Slot Drain was designed by Glen Kehler, a concrete finisher who regularly installed area drains as part of his concrete business. Kehler wanted to reduce the complexity of installing drainage and so he created the linear slot drain.
The slot drain has many installation advantages:
Less complex floor slopes
Less underground plumbing
Pre sloped design
Integrated levelling points
Bolt together flanges
Integrated catch basin
To learn more about slot drain installations please watch the following videos.
Low maintenance solutions for all farming operations
The Slot Drain System has 3 main advantages that make it a low maintenance solution
Pre-sloped no niche design makes the drain self cleaning
Open the length of the drain to allow easy access for cleaning
Integrated catch basin and optional strainer basket stop debris and lost items from entering underground plumbing.
Slot Drain Systems are designed for busy professionals like farmers. Their low maintenance design prioritizes practicality and functionality. Slot Drains are designed to last for decades and work as hard as you do to keep your farm or barn safe and dry.
Contact Slot Drain Systems Today
Our sales staff has the experience to help in selecting the right slot drain for your farming operation. Whether you are looking for an off the shelf option or require custom drainage Slot Drain Systems is your hassle free drain supply. Contact us today to receive personalized information and assistance.
