If you have a lot of junk piled up at your home or office, a roll-off dumpster is usually the best solution for all your waste disposal woes. However, before booking a rental dumpster, it’s important to factor in any inclement weather or seasonal challenges.
By following a few simple steps and planning in advance, you can ensure that bad weather will not be an obstacle for garbage removal.
Hoes does rain affect renting a dumpster exactly? There are many ways for bad weather conditions such as rain or extreme heat to affect your dumpster rental. Some of the complications are discussed below:
Rental dumpsters usually have a weight limit depending on the size of the container. Carrying large amounts of urban waste (especially asphalt and concrete) through public roads is highly unsafe, of course.
However, if heavy rain and sleet seep into the dumpster, it adds to the weight, resulting in additional charges. Moreover, the rainwater might be absorbed by the furniture or waste materials. Therefore, even if the water is removed, the items in the dumpster will remain heavier.
If the roll-off container is parked in a yard or grassy ground, the rain and sludge might cause the tires to sink and get stuck.
It might be difficult to get the vehicle moving again, delaying the drop-off of the garbage.
If the dumpster contains organic waste such as food waste, rainwater seeping into it can lead to further contamination.
The wet waste materials become a breeding ground for bacteria and pests. In turn, they release toxic elements into the environment and risking the health of the service staff and clients who come near it. If the rainwater is allowed to collect inside the container for days, infections and diseases might spread through the neighborhood.
Water isn’t the only threat to the dumpster. Heavy rains, accompanied by thunder and severe storms can also wreak havoc. Strong winds can easily blow off waste materials from the dumpster, which might hit passing cars and motorists, causing accidents. It might even damage private property, leading to unnecessary legal expenses.
If the dumpster is parked on a street, the waste might litter the surrounding area, slowing down traffic and resulting in a public nuisance. This is one of many reasons why companies won't rent out dumpsters during an impending hurricane.
Thus, the several problems posed by heavy rain, snow or inclement weather will ultimately result in additional expenses for you. This usually takes the form of overage fees for:
In short, it can get pretty expensive.
Moreover, there’s always the chance that others might illegally dump their garbage onto your open dumpster if its parked in a publicly accessible space.
To protect your dumpster from rain and illegal dumping, its always advisable to invest in a good-quality heavy tarp or covering.
Finally, bad weather might also damage the dumpster itself. If the vehicle is damaged and cannot haul away your waste, you might be charged with additional expenses.
Thus, learning about how rain affects a dumpster rental might make you reconsider your decision. Or, you might think that it’s safe to rent a dumpster only when the weather is good. However, the weather can be unpredictable, and you might urgently need to avail of a waste removal service during the rainy or winter months.
In fact, it’s very much possible to safely rent a dumpster during inclement weather by following a few practical steps, discussed below:
We’ve already covered how rainwater can add to your dumpster’s weight allowance. However, a simple way to avoid this is placing a tarp or a large plastic covering over the roof of the dumpster.
Some dumpster rentals might provide a tarp or you can talk with the staff before booking about investing in one.
At times, just getting a trap may not be enough. A very strong gust of wind during a thunderstorm might potentially blow off the covering and expose the debris to the elements. To prevent such a scenario, after filling up the dumpster and placing the tarp, carefully secure the cover with ropes or bungee cords.
If the dumpster is very large you might use multiple smaller tarps and secure them with ropes, but that also increases the chance of leakage. So, always try to get a tarp that matches your dumpster’s size.
If the dumpster is a small one, you might park it in your garage or under a shed. This way it is protected from rain and storms.
However, there’s always a chance that the dumpster might not fit into your garage. Perhaps there is no indoor space or a concrete driveway where one can safely park it.
If you’re placing it on the yard where it has a chance of getting stuck in the mud, you can put some plywood planks on the ground and park the dumpster over them. That will prevent it from sinking, in case of heavy rain.
Another trick that you can use is to pack up the waste materials into multiple trash bags and seal them tightly.
That way, even if water gets inside the dumpster, the materials won’t get wet or absorb moisture from the rain.
Similarly, if you have large items such as furniture, you can wrap them up in plastic. It’s not foolproof but it will prevent the items from getting wet.
Although you can extend your rental period based on your needs, it’s advisable to keep the rental period as short as possible. This is especially true if rain or inclement weather is likely. Most professional dumpster rental companies will assist in extending rental periods for inclement weather.
A shorter rental period will decrease the amount of time the dumpster is left out in the open and exposed to the elements, minimizing the likelihood of damage.
Finally, on the day of trash pick-up, ensure that the the job site is prepared and clear so that the dumpster can drive off easily.
If there’s an obstruction in the pathway, such as a fallen tree, try to get that cleared as soon as possible so that the dumpster’s drive-off isn’t delayed.
Thus, even though rains can hamper your dumpster rental, taking simple steps such as covering the container with a tarp or parking it inside a garage will ensure that you don’t run into any problems or additional charges.
You can always count on Discount Dumpster for cheap and stress-free solutions for all your waste management woes. With several years of experience, we offer the best deals and advice when it comes to renting dumpsters in all sorts of weather!
Over 2 billion tons of waste is generated each year, with the U.S. accounting for the maximum amount of municipal solid waste produced. Thus, we must do our part to ensure that our waste is safely disposed off, to protect the environment and keep our surroundings neat and tidy.
Simply give us a call and we’ll give you a flat quote (with no hidden charges) and answer any questions that you may have!
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