How To Connect Drainage Channel To Drain | Express Drainage Surveys

If you want to avoid the accumulation of water on your property and the untold damage it can cause, you need proper drainage channel connections.

Without the correct connection, properly installed, you’ll find issues across your property, with surface water building on driveways, patios and other areas. Thanks to our in-depth knowledge at Express Drainage Surveys, we’re perfectly placed to handle such installations. That’s why this month, we’re covering the method for connecting drainage channels to your main drain, along with our top tips and advice.

Understanding Drainage Channels

A drainage channel, sometimes known as a linear or trench drain, helps to manage surface water around your property. It collects and diverts rainwater away from those areas where it is most prone to accumulating.

A typical example of a drainage channel is one you find near your garage if your driveway slopes. It will look like a long, narrow drain line covered by a metal or plastic grate. The grate allows the water in, but prevents leaves and other debris from clogging it.

There are some key components you’ll need to recognise and understand if you want to install this type of drain line:

The channel body, which is essentially the trough that collects the surface water
The grating, which is the piece that covers the trench to keep everything but water out
The end cap, which can close one end of the trench off
The outlet, which helps connect the drain trench to your normal drain system

We’ve already touched on materials, but here are the three main drainage channel types you’re likely to encounter:

Plastic drain channels: they’re lightweight and simple to install
Polymer concrete drain channels: they’re ideal for areas that need to withstand heavier loads
Stainless steel drain channels: these offer a more premium look and can handle high foot traffic over them

You’ll need to select the right drainage channel material for your property based on the expected load and the finished look you’d prefer.

Planning Your Drainage Installation

Before you start to install your drainage channel, you’ll need to assess the area where you want to place it. That means finding the point that is naturally lowest, where the water will collect, so that it can be collected and diverted. You will also need to make sure you have somewhere suitable for the drainage channel to discharge to, whether that’s connecting to your drain or into a soakaway.

The next thing to consider is building regulations. Checking with local building regulations means that you can get any necessary permit to install and connect a drainage channel – it may not be a requirement, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Part of your planning should be selecting a drainage channel to give you the most suitable load rating. A15 is most suited to areas where pedestrians may walk over the drain, whereas B125 is more suitable for driveways where a vehicle may need to be supported. C250 or higher is generally reserved for roads where there is regular, heavy traffic.

Tools And Materials Required

If you plan to take on the installation of your channel drain yourself, you’ll want to gather the following tools:

Spade or trenching tool
Tape measure
Spirit level
Rubber mallet
Small saw or angle grinder (to cut channels to size)

You will also need the following materials:

Drainage channel
Grates, end caps and outlets
Concrete
Silicone sealant or waterproof adhesive

Once you have gathered everything you need, you can proceed to our step-by-step guide to install your drainage channel.

Step-by-step Installation Guide

Excavate the trench: You’ll need to dig a trench for your drainage channel to the correct depth. Start by marking out the location, then dig slightly wider and deeper than the channel body. You should allow 100mm on each side for concrete bedding, and roughly 50-100mm of additional depth for the base.
Prepare the base: In order for your drainage channel to sit flush, you will require a stable foundation, usually a combination of concrete and uncompacted sand. Remember, a gentle, consistent slope is needed to direct water once inside the channel – this should be 1:100 (1cm per each metre) to aid efficient water flow. You can check the slope using a spirit level as you lay the base.
Place the channel: Start this process using the outlet end first and join any sections together. This may vary depending on the type of channel, so ensure they are all aligned, connected and seated correctly. This outlet should lead to a pipe that carries water to a soakaway, inspection chamber or a main drain.
Connection to drain pipe: This is the crucial step, attaching your channel to an existing drain pipe using an outlet. Make sure you check that the outlet connection is watertight before moving on, as this will prevent any issues later down the line.
Secure the channel: You can now embed the channel itself (whichever material type you’ve chosen) into the trench created. Using concrete to secure this in place will help to prevent movement. If you followed step one, you should now have room to pour concrete around the sides and under the channel to hold it. Always allow concrete to set in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines before placing the channel under any weight.
Install the grating: You can now fit the grating type selected over the top of the drainage channel to complete the installation. This may snap into place or may require bolting.
Final checks: It’s always worthwhile carrying out final checks at this point, including a level check. You can also pour a small amount of water into the channel to ensure it flows through properly as intended.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

There are three fairly common mistakes that people make when installing their drainage channel. We’ve outlined them in this piece so that you can be sure to avoid them when you come to tackle your project:

Incorrect slope. It’s vital that you get a consistent gradient in your drainage channel so that the water flows towards the connection and out into your drain. Without this slope, the water is likely to sit within your drainage channel, making it less efficient at handling a heavy downpour.
Improper sealing. When you come to seal the channel and drain pipe together, make sure that you do so properly. By leaving any type of gap or unsealed portion, you allow water to consistently leak through, impacting the ground over the long term, which can cause issues in future. You may not notice this straight away, but in time it will become apparent that something isn’t quite right, and you’ll have to remove and reinstall this section.
Insufficient support. The bedding of your drainage channel should be robust enough to last over time. If you don’t get this phase of the installation right, there is a risk that the drainage channel could collapse, which means it won’t be able to perform the function it was designed for.

Maintenance Tips

Have you already installed your drainage channel and connected it to your drain? Then here are our top maintenance tips to help make sure it stays at its best all year round.

Clean the channel out regularly: Over time, a variety of debris and mulch can accumulate inside your channel – this is despite the grate preventing a large amount of material in the first place. By carrying out this task a few times a year, you can keep water flowing consistently away from your property.
Inspect your drainage channel: At least once a quarter, you should inspect your drainage channel for visual signs of damage. This could be cracks in the trench material or issues related to the connection. Spotting these problems early will mean that you can rectify them and maintain a properly functioning channel.
Winter care: When the cold months finally roll around, you should pay close attention to your drainage channel to make sure it keeps on flowing. You should always try to clear any snow and ice promptly, as it could block your channel. Meanwhile, applying deicing agents to the grating can stop it freezing over – but be sure to only use products that you know are suitable for the materials your channel is made from, otherwise you’re simply creating another problem and potentially reducing the useful lifespan of your installation.

Our Drainage Services

At Express Drainage Surveys, we’re leading experts when it comes to drains. Thanks to decades of experience and a dedicated team of engineers, we can provide vital services to keep the drains on your property moving. Whether you’ve had a construction mishap and your drains are blocked or you’re not sure exactly what is wrong with your system, you can count on us to provide:

We hope that you’ve found our quick overview guide for connecting a drainage channel to a drain useful. If you’d like further advice about your drains or if you’d like to arrange any of the services outlined in our list above, please don’t hesitate to contact our team today.