Location, Location, Location: Picking The Right Spot For A Dumpster Rental
If you have a large amount of waste that needs to be recycled, then renting a dumpster is a good way to take care of it. But before you do, it's important that you remember just how heavy a full dumpster can be. That weight means that it's important to choose the right location for the dumpster as well as prepare that location properly.
Concrete
If you have a concrete driveway or an area of concrete pavement, you're in luck – concrete is the perfect location for a dumpster. In fact, you don't even need to prepare a concrete surface as long as it is in good shape. If your concrete is fractured or cracked, however, this can compromise its strength, so having it repaired may prevent the dumpster from damaging it further.
Asphalt
Most people's driveways are made from asphalt, and asphalt requires a little more preparation than concrete. One of the reasons why asphalt is so popular as a paving material is that it is more flexible than concrete, and this flexibility means that it's possible for a heavy object like a dumpster to leave an impression in an asphalt surface.
First of all, you should consider the temperature where the dumpster will be. Asphalt gets softer as it heats up. If you're renting a dumpster during cool weather, this may not be a problem at all; if it's summer, on the other hand, soft asphalt is a worry. If possible, try to find a shaded area for the dumpster so that the asphalt is not being warmed by the sun.
Another option is to protect the asphalt by distributing the weight of the dumpster. If the asphalt is likely to be hot or if the pavement is less than a year old, you should definitely do this to prevent possible deformation of the pavement. To distribute a dumpster's weight, place a sheet of plywood underneath the wheels. The plywood may crack apart, but it will protect the pavement below.
Grass or Dirt
Unpaved ground should be the absolute last resort for dumpster placement. The weight of even an empty dumpster can damage grass or bare earth, compressing the areas underneath the wheels and causing large impressions in the ground. If the weather turns rainy, the muddy ground can even cause the dumpster's wheels to become stuck, and the earth will be chewed up when it's time for the dumpster to be towed away.
If you have to place a dumpster on grass or dirt, consider renting a smaller dumpster and have it emptied multiple times. This will help keep the weight down. In addition, it's absolutely crucial that you put down plywood for the dumpster to stand on in order to protect the ground beneath it.
To rent roll off dumpsters, contact a company such as East Central Sanitation & Recycling.