Not every kennel drainage problem requires ripping out concrete. RACS custom-manufactures plastisol-coated steel gutter covers in three configurations designed to fit existing trench drains regardless of age, width, or layout. Every cover features the same fully encapsulated construction used across the RACS product line: no exposed metal, built-in antimicrobial protection, and a non-porous surface engineered specifically for animal care environments. Built to order in Northwood, Iowa, and shipped directly to your facility.
When No Standard Gutter Cover Fits Your Drain
Older kennels, shelters, and veterinary facilities share a common frustration: trench drains that no off-the-shelf gutter cover can accommodate. Facilities built between the 1960s and 1990s were poured once and modified through decades of use. The result is non-standard widths, uneven depths, and legacy configurations that catalog-size grate products simply don’t fit.
RACS Animal Care Systems addresses this directly. Three distinct cover types (A, B, and C) are engineered for different gutter configurations, and every cover is manufactured to the facility’s exact measurements.
When the alternative is demolishing and repouring an entire slab, a custom-fitted gutter cover is a fraction of the cost and eliminates weeks of downtime.
Why Uncovered or Ill-Fitting Drains Create Serious Facility Problems
A kennel drainage system does more than move water. When drains are uncovered or covered with poor-fitting grates, the consequences compound across safety, sanitation, and daily operations.
Wet or uncovered floors significantly increase the risk of slips and falls for both animals and staff. Animal paws can slip through oversized grate openings, claws catch in gaps, and iron grates that don’t sit flush tip under foot traffic. Staff working around unstable covers face tripping hazards that slow operations and create liability.
Sanitation suffers just as quickly. Standing urine and wash water in low spots foster ammonia buildup and bacteria. Hair and fecal matter trapped under makeshift plywood or rubber mat covers create conditions that routine cleaning cannot reach. The drain is supposed to move waste away from animals. When it can’t do that job because the cover doesn’t fit, every cleaning protocol downstream is compromised.
RACS gutter covers are designed to sit flush, stay stable under traffic, and keep waste flowing toward the drain outlet instead of pooling beneath your raised flooring.
Why Standard Gutter Covers Fail in Older Facilities
The core issue is simple: catalog products are manufactured in fixed sizes. Older kennel drains are not.
Common legacy drain configurations that standard covers cannot fit include cast-in-place concrete trench drains along the back of runs, half-round pipe drains positioned against walls, narrow slot drains cut into old epoxy floors, and mixed indoor/outdoor channel systems with different widths in the same facility.
When suppliers only stock fixed-size grates, the typical recommendation is to demolish and repour the entire slab. For a facility that needs to keep operating, that’s often not a realistic option.
RACS takes the opposite approach. Rather than asking the facility to match the product, RACS builds the product to match the facility. Every gutter cover is manufactured to the exact width, length, and configuration of the existing drain.
Three RACS Gutter Cover Types: Engineered for Different Drain Configurations
Not every gutter is the same, and RACS doesn’t treat them that way. Three cover types address the most common kennel drain layouts.
Type A: Gutters at the Back of the Run with a Ledge
Type A covers are designed for facilities where the gutter runs along the back wall and has a ledge for the cover to rest on. Two configurations are available. The first sits directly on the floor with rod spacers underneath to prevent shifting. The second rests on legs with at least two inches of clearance above the gutter floor, making it easy to rinse animal waste through without lifting or removing the cover.
Type A covers can be manufactured just wide enough to span the gutter, or wider to provide a resting bench where animals can lie comfortably off the run floor.
Type B: Gutters with a Small Ledge Below Floor Level
Type B covers are designed for drains where a small ledge sits about an inch below the floor surface. The plastisol-coated mesh piece fits directly into the opening with no frame or legs needed. It sits flush with the surrounding floor to prevent tripping hazards.
This is the simplest installation: the cover drops into place and the ledge holds it. Type B covers can be manufactured with or without additional RACS support depending on the span and load requirements.
Type C: Gutters That Continue from the Back Wall with No Ledge
Type C is the most common configuration RACS encounters. In these facilities, the gutter is a continuation of the back wall with no ledge or lip to support a cover. RACS solves this with a resting bench design that uses two J-hooks bolted into the back wall. The front legs rest on the run floor while the back is supported by the wall-mounted hooks.
This configuration turns a challenging gutter into both a covered drain and a functional resting area for animals.
What Sets RACS Gutter Covers Apart
Off-the-shelf grate products come in fixed catalog sizes. When your drain doesn’t match, you’re left with gaps, rocking, and workarounds that create more problems than they solve. Plastic covers can shift, flex, and trap debris over time, creating ongoing sanitation issues in high-use kennels. Iron grates rust. Standard fiberglass and stainless steel covers are noisy under paws and cart wheels, and none of them adapt to the non-standard dimensions that define most older facilities.
RACS gutter covers are manufactured to your facility’s exact measurements. The plastisol-coated steel construction means no exposed metal, no rust, and no corrosion from urine or cleaning chemicals. The same antimicrobial protection built into all RACS plastisol products is present in every gutter cover, actively inhibiting bacterial growth on the surface between cleanings. Opening patterns are sized for the specific animal types in your facility rather than a one-size-fits-all pattern. And because the plastisol coating absorbs impact and vibration, RACS covers are significantly quieter than bare metal alternatives.
The customer installs with rod spacers, J-hooks, or drop-in fit depending on the cover type. No welding, no special tools, no contractor required.
Indoor vs. Outdoor: How RACS Adapts Cover Design to Your Environment
Indoor and outdoor drainage systems face different conditions. RACS manufactures covers for both and adjusts the design based on where the drain lives.
Indoor runs prioritize odor control, compatibility with veterinary disinfectants, and integration with RACS raised kennel flooring. RACS uses tighter opening patterns on indoor covers to prevent small paws from catching while still allowing waste and wash water to flow through. Type A and Type C covers are common in indoor configurations because they double as resting benches, keeping animals elevated and comfortable while the drain does its job underneath.
Outdoor exercise yards face UV exposure, freeze-thaw cycles, and heavier debris loads from leaves and gravel. RACS designs outdoor covers with wider openings to handle higher flow volumes while maintaining paw safety for larger animals. Type B drop-in covers work well in outdoor trenches where a flush-with-floor profile prevents tripping across exercise areas.
Facilities that need both can mix cover types across the property. Because every RACS cover is built to order, indoor and outdoor sections are manufactured as part of the same project with matching plastisol coating throughout. All designs allow access to the trench beneath for periodic deep cleaning.
How the Ordering Process Works
RACS keeps the process straightforward. Our team works directly with you to gather the necessary measurements, photos, and details to ensure a precise fit for your existing drainage system.
What helps us engineer the right solution: the width and length of your drain channel, depth measurements at several points (older trenches often vary), photos showing the gutter profile including corners, slopes, and junctions, and any unusual features like T-intersections or transitions between drain types.
From there, RACS engineers a fit-for-purpose cover and ships a ready-to-install solution. The customer can install in phases, run by run or wing by wing, so facility operations continue during the process. Each cover type has its own installation method: rod spacers for Type A, drop-in fit for Type B, and wall-mounted J-hooks for Type C.
Planning a Retrofit Without Demolition
Many kennel owners assume the only option for outdated drainage is full slab demolition and replacement. In most facilities built from the 1960s through the early 2000s, the trench structure itself is still sound. The issue is missing or obsolete covers.
RACS custom gutter covers retrofit onto existing drain channels to meet current safety and hygiene standards without tearing out concrete. Facilities that install gutter covers first, then add RACS raised animal flooring aligned to the covered trench edges, can avoid the cost and downtime of full slab replacement entirely.
For facilities working with architects or contractors on renovations, RACS provides detailed measurements and specifications so custom gutter covers can be integrated into broader facility plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you cover old kennel trench drains that don’t fit standard grates?
RACS custom-manufactures plastisol-coated gutter covers to the exact dimensions of your existing drain. Three cover types (A, B, and C) are designed for different gutter configurations: ledge-supported, flush drop-in, and wall-mounted J-hook systems. Every cover is built to order based on your measurements and photos.
Can RACS build covers for curved or angled kennel drains?
Yes. RACS designs segmented covers that follow curves or compound angles by breaking the run into shorter straight sections. Detailed measurements and photos ensure an accurate fit, and each section is clearly labeled for straightforward installation by the customer’s team.
What if my trench drain width changes along the run?
Variable dimensions are common in older kennels. RACS designs each cover section to match the local width and support conditions, adjusting the design as needed to maintain a level walking surface.
Do I need to shut down my kennel to install RACS gutter covers?
No. The customer can install covers in phases, moving animals temporarily from one section while covers go in. Many facilities schedule installation during slower periods to minimize disruption.
Stop Working Around a Drain Problem You Can Solve
If your facility has non-standard, aging, or uncovered kennel drains, the answer is not demolition. RACS custom-manufactures plastisol-coated gutter covers that fit the drain you already have, transforming a safety and sanitation liability into a covered, hygienic surface. Every cover features the same antimicrobial protection, corrosion resistance, and no-exposed-metal construction that defines the entire RACS product line. Made in the U.S.A.
Every cover is built to order in Northwood, Iowa, and shipped directly to your facility. Contact a RACS representative at 800-338-3178 or request a quote online to discuss your drainage challenges. Our team will help you find the right solution for your specific setup.
