A post frame barn can serve many functions, from workshop to animal housing and storage. However, when you are sheltering animals, you must ensure that the environment is healthy and safe for them. For example, buildings that house animals must have proper drainage to prevent water from accumulating inside.
Here are several ways you can make sure your animals stay safe and dry in your post frame building.
Avoid Accumulated Water in New Post Frame Buildings
Surface water accumulation in and around a post frame building following heavy rain often indicates insufficient grading of the building site. Ideally, the areas surrounding the building should slope slightly downward to carry the water away from the structure. This will then reduce the chance of surface water accumulation and remove any risk of internal flooding through doors or small gaps.
Plan for Drainage
With a new or existing post frame barn you should eliminate any potential for unwanted standing water. If you change the function of your current building, build a new one, or take over another, you must make the necessary adjustments to ensure water stays where it needs to be.
With a new building, location is always critical. Avoid placing the post frame building on a downhill slope, if possible. This is because a downhill slope will expose your building to excess water runoff. However, if there is no other option, you can take measures to make the structure safe for animal habitation.
- Install Gutters
Placing gutters that channel water into a downspout and a drainage system during rainstorms will alleviate much of the concern. Additionally, you can install ground gutters with grates to stop water from approaching the building. The drainage system should then effectively channel the water away from the structure and reduce pooling around the foundation. In turn, this will keep the interior of the building dry.
- Add a French Drain
A French drain can redirect water so it does not reach animals inside a building. The drain consists of a perforated drainage pipe covered with 8 to 10 inches of rounded drain rock buried in a sloped ditch. Gravity carries the water away to a separate area away from the building.
- Creative Landscaping
Vegetative buffer zones can slow water accumulation and help keep the interior dry. Grass and shrubs help to prevent soil erosion and act as a barrier to keep the water from flowing through. The barrier will slow the water flow during heavy rains and help keep your barn dry.
- Create Berms and Channels
With dirt-moving equipment, creating berms and channels around the post-frame barn can also help minimize the amount of water that could potentially reach the interior. This landscaping is ideal for the entranceway and pathways leading into the building.
Consult with Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings
Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings is a well-established, reliable supplier of post frame building components. They also design and build first-class post frame buildings.
Located in North Webster, Indiana, Pacemaker has provided solutions for building owners throughout northern Indiana, southwest Michigan, and northwest Ohio for decades. Experts in designing and building modern post frame structures of all types, the professionals at Pacemaker can advise you on the proper placement and drainage systems that will alleviate any water-related issues.
Contact Pacemaker Post Frame professionals to discuss any future or existing structure. Their experts can help you with any issue.
You can also view many of Pacemaker’s recent projects by visiting their photo gallery.
For more information, contact the professionals at Pacemaker by visiting their website or by calling 888-834-4448.
