What happens to your front yard after the rains? Does it seem like a marsh? If so, a catch basin may be the solution. Catch basins maintain your curb appeal in addition to redirecting water away from the foundation of your Rochester home.
What is a Catch Basin?
Catch basins, also known as storm drains, are an important part of the landscaping drainage system, especially for older households or urban areas. It comprises a grate on top and a drainage pipe sloping away from the basin. A catch basin is used to redirect water to prevent flooding. They are often found on public streets and parking lots but may also be installed on private properties. They are made of non-reinforced or steel-reinforced concrete, brick and mortar, polymer, or plastic material.
Drains collect rainwater or melted snow, transporting runoff water to a reservoir, sump, or municipal water treatment service. Residential catch basins should be installed at the lowest point of your home. Large homes or those comprising uneven terrain may need more than one drainage ditch or catch basin.
How does the Catch Basin Work?
Catch basins are set into the ground at a low point on a property. While collecting water in an underground tank, catch basins utilize the grate to filter out large debris. The collected water then redirects to another sump, reservoir, or water treatment facility. Concrete catch basins have an inlet and outlet pipe. When the rainwater in the storm drain reaches a particular water level, it travels down the outlet pipe to a new and more appropriate location.
Rain catch basins are covered with heavy metal grates to proscribe or keep out large debris. Most of this debris encompasses leaves or sticks, though, at times, garbage may collect inside a storm drain as well.
Benefits of Installing a Catch Basin in Your Home
Catch basins help keep proper drainage and catch debris. This helps prevent pipes downstream from becoming clogged. A clogged storm drain or standing water may cause the street, your yard, or your basement to flood.
The vitality of catch basins is that they can serve a combination of purposes, including catching, holding, and filtering runoff water in your yard, parking lot, around your property, off surfaces, and from gutters. A catch basin designed for your home is commonly 1-foot by 1-foot. Properly installed catch basins move large volumes of water hastily from your property, even during a heavy rainstorm. This provides multiple benefits, which incorporate:
· Enhanced Landscaping
Pools of standing water or perpetually soggy soil can result in insect growth, attract bugs, and make plants and trees turn brown or die because of too much water. Additionally, it can lead to and mold or mildew growth that can eat away at roots and emanate foul odors. Installing a catch basin in your home or business is an excellent preventative measure for these problems.
Catch basins are predominantly useful for properties that receive heavy rainfall and comprise poor drainage. If properly installed, a catch basin can act as a rainwater reservoir.
· Support Drain Systems
Catch basins serve as a pre-treatment stage in sewer systems and water drains. Large debris and sediment found in rain and stormwater are caught and retained or held in the basin. They do not proceed further into the sewer system or storm drains, thereby preventing your drainage system from overloading. If debris or sediment goes into your sewer system, it will cause clogs and other material to catch in the pipe, minimizing your drainage system’s effectiveness.
Installing a catch basin in your house can help minimize drainage problems, which means fewer maintenance needs and expenses to be performed in the drainage system, thereby increasing their durability and permanence.
· Prevent your House from Flooding
Landscapes that drain poorly can cause issues inside your home, particularly your basement. Downspout water, a driveway that slopes towards your house, or any natural water that flows toward your foundation can easily flood your basement. Over time, the water infiltrating your home can cause serious damage to several valuable items such as furniture, carpets, and flooring. The best way to remedy floor drains is by rerouting the downspout water using properly-constructed or well-built catch basins placed directly below the downspouts.
· Boost your Home’s Resale Value
Solving any ongoing problems like standing water, or poor drainage will always help the resale value of your property. When potential buyers notice a properly installed drainage system, they feel more assertive that they are getting a good deal in their future home.
Similar to most systems, catch basins sometimes experience problems which include:
· Attracting Unwanted Pests
If debris takes long to dry out and becomes hot during the summer, it creates an environment ideal for mosquitoes and other insects to breed.
· Causing Sinkholes.
Pipes leading to or from the catch basin may collapse; hence a sinkhole may form.
· Discharge of Debris during Heavy Rainstorms
Catch basins catch and retain debris, solids, and garbage during rainfall. However, if there is a heavy rainstorm, the catch basin may be overwhelmed, not allowing debris and trash to settle out. If the water levels are too high, the debris and waste can hastily rise to the level of the outlet pipe and flow out of the basin.
How to Maintain a Catch Basin?
All the above issues can be avoided with proper maintenance. Contact the professionals at Northeastern Paving & Sealcoating for a catch basin repair if you notice that your catch basin drains water or cannot hold debris. Catch basins repair is necessary in case of a leak or crack.
Lift the grate and remove the water and the sediment using a bucket and a shovel. Moreover, you can dump the water into a sanitary sewer through a sink. Also, you can dump it in a toilet or any other appropriate drain. As for the solids, you can let them dry and use a proper disposal technique. Additionally, cleaning them periodically helps remove debris and prevent flooding.
Catch Basin Inspection Techniques
Regular inspections are necessary to maintain catch basins over time. During the inspection process, you should consider the following:
· Exterior Inspection
Inspect the exterior elements of the water basin to detect cracks or damages to the lid around the line or concrete ring. Cracks can result in lid failures.
· Interior Inspection
After opening the basin, check inside and identify any visible structural problems on the sidewalls. Ascertain the water level is below the inlet pipe.
Contact the Catch Basin Installation and Maintenance Professionals in Rochester, NY
Constructing a proper catch basin is a difficult task and one best left to our professionals. At Northeastern Paving & Sealcoating, we can help simplify the process. Before digging a hole in the ground, our contractors find the lowest point for draining then place a tightly packed layer of gravel or sand at the bottom. Afterward, we will place the basin on top of the layer, seal it, grout it, and backfill it.
If you decide to add a residential catch basin on your property, contact our catch basin installation, repair, and maintenance team at 585-544-4372 in Rochester, NY. We will set you up with a free no-obligation onsite estimate.
