The Catch Basin and What Every Homeowner Needs To Know

The average homeowner knows they need to be sure the roof and eaves on their home are in good working order to prevent any kind of water damage. Most understand the need for solid downspouts and good grading practices so the rain flows away from the house. However, not everyone that owns their own home understands the problem with water that can affect your property can start out at the street. That’s why a good understanding of the catch basin, what it does and how to maintain it is a good idea. Catch basins are there to handle rain water and to direct the flow of it to the proper storm sewers. Whether these are located somewhere on your street or on your property, they need to be kept in good working order all the time. Allowing them to back up could wind up costing you in structural damage to any of the buildings on your property. There are several different ways individuals and communities get involved with cleaning these catch basins. One way is getting together with your community or even having your area bode together with another to buy a vactor truck, which cleans the basins by way of vacuum hoses and tanks. Normally, these trucks can cost anywhere from $125,000 to $150,000.     There are other costs that are better spread out through a neighbourhood or otherwise shared. On the maintenance side, a drop-in catch basin insert can cost anywhere from $70 to $400 while more intricate designs can run up to and over $2000. Maintenance is one of the keys. The vactor trucks mentioned above get rid of the sediment that’s collected under the grates, but keeping these grates clear of debris is important as well. It’s recommended that catch basins be cleaned at least twice a year and the sand and twigs that are commonly removed are often taken to local landfills. You can clean a catch basin yourself when the catch basin is on your property. Remember you need to wear the right protective equipment like rubber gloves and goggles. Start with the grate and remove any leaves and twigs there. Your catch basin might even have a trap where other sediment will collect. You need to clean that as well to prevent any smaller debris from getting into the pipes meant only for water.