Drainage channel/patio

[Nancy Young]

Here goes what is probably a D U M dum question.

I have a large concrete patio with a plastic channel that directs water away to one side. It gets clogged with dirt, of course. Grass and weeds then love to grow in it, creating another chore.

Is the plastic strip meant to be pried up and replaced?

It's difficult to clean as it is. For whatever reason I thought it was permanently stuck on there but maybe not?

Ignoring that my patio looks really bad in closeup, here's a picture of the channel.

Thanks for any help.

nancy

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Tried to pry and lift it? Looks like pop in and out type. Or can you put in new ones? When they get old it is easy to crack when handled.

[Nancy Young]

I haven't! I really don't know why it never occurred to me it was doable.

I really thought it was cemented in somehow.

How easy would it be to clean then, duh. To date all I've done is hose it out as best as I can and try to keep the dirt from washing right back in.

That's what has stopped me from even trying at this point, it's brittle now. I can see it will snap off in pieces.

I will look for a replacement before I go breaking something I can't repair. Thanks very much for your help.

nancy

[Ed Pawlowski]

It is typical that they can be lifted out for cleaning. If they are plastic, they may have become brittle from the UV light over the years.

[Nancy Young]

Yeah, the previous owners installed this pool and patio in

1984 or so. It's amazing the strip still looks as good as it does, only one chip. Every spring after the powerwasher guy leaves I expect more chips.

So I won't be prying anything until I'm sure I have the right replacement.

Thanks!

nancy