Do you have a catch basin at your home or business? If you do not know the answer to that question, it may be time you found out. A catch basin is used to maintain the flow of surface or storm water on your property, draining off excess standing water while catching debris before it goes into the sewer system. These basins protect buildings, driveways and parking lots from damage due to excess surface water, and need to be regularly cleaned and maintained.
Performing Catch Basin Maintenance
Catch basins must regularly be emptied to keep them performing. This is not generally something that a property owner will do themselves. Many sewer and septic service companies offer catch basin cleaning and maintenance services. To clean the catch basins, the basins either need to manually emptied or professional vacuum pumps can be used to pull out debris. Some basic recommendations on catch basin cleaning and maintenance include:
- Empty catch basins when they are half full. Basins that become overloaded can release debris into sewer pipes, causing clogs and damage.
- Schedule yearly maintenance. Most catch basins should be emptied once a year, sometimes more often.
- Spring and late fall are good times to empty your basin. After the last leaves fall is a good time to have your catch basin cleaned. Another option is in the spring, to remove debris from the winter storms which may have accumulated.
When catch basins are emptied, they can also be inspected for performance. A catch basin which is not working properly can cause extensive damage to physical property, sewer lines and the surrounding soil, so it is important to keep these devices empty and in good repair.
Posted on behalf of Metro Septic and Sewer
