(ARA) - How many times have you cleaned up after people coming into your
house, tracking in mud, dirt and snow, and thought "there has to be a better
way." Doormats help, but they don't stop the majority of the dirt, and
they have to be cleaned frequently during messy fall and winter months.
Thomas Foote heard this complaint from his wife after the floors in their
new custom home were ruined by dirt and debris being tracked into the house.
A contractor by trade, he rigged up an outdoor grate that stopped dirt before
it ever found its way into the house.
When family and friends saw his idea, they wanted their own version of Foote's
invention. Soon, he was getting so many requests that he decided there was a
market for his invention, and in 2003 he started Dirt Drain International.
The Dirt Drain system is a grid or grate that can be mounted flush with wooden
or concrete porches, patios and decks and allows users to scrape the mud and
snow from their shoes and boots before entering the house. "The mud and
snow simply fall through the Dirt Drain to the ground underneath the deck or
porch, keeping it outside where it belongs, not inside on your floors and carpeting,"
explains Foote. And it's unobtrusive, thanks to its flush mount design.
Doug and Mary McCleary of East Falmouth, Mass. installed Dirt Drain during
construction of their home addition. "It kept all noticeable dirt from
being tracked into our new kitchen," says Mary.
It takes just about 10 minutes to install a Dirt Drain in a wooden deck or
porch and it is designed to fit standard joists of 12 inches, 16 inches and
24 inches. Custom sizes are available as well. It can also be installed flush
into a concrete floor, which makes it a natural fit for garages. If you prefer
not to do a flush installation, it can be used anywhere by simply using dimensional
lumber for a frame.
The Dirt Drain is made from the material used in automotive bumper supports
and is maintenance free; just rinse clean with a hose if necessary. The product
comes in black, and can be painted or stained to match your home.
Besides keeping dirt out of your home, the Dirt Drain also serves to let
light in. "If you have a lower level window under your deck, for example,
you'll get more light under your deck once you've installed our product,"
says Foote. The cutout for installation also improves circulation under decks
and porches, which helps prevent wood rot.
Since 75 percent of the dirt in most homes comes in through the main door,
keeping most of it outside will drastically decrease the mess inside. The Dirt
Drain is available at www.dirtdrain.com and will soon be available in stores
nationwide.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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