How Often Should Your Catch Basin Be Cleaned?
Parking lot flooding
Toronto is a great place to live and do business, but it’s also decidedly wet. June is officially the wettest month; on average, the city receives 845mm of precipitation yearly.
If you don’t keep up with your catch basin maintenance, this can mean flooded parking lots, water ingress, and garbage spilling out of storm drains.
No one wants that, so let’s get into what a catch basin is and how to keep it clean.
What Is a Catch Basin or Storm Drain?
A catch basin – also called a storm drain – catches dirt and litter, allowing rainwater and melting snow to enter the sewer system. You find them outside many businesses in parking lots and large buildings with underground parking.
At street level, you can only see the grate. But below, there’s a basin lower than the level of the sewer connection. This is designed to collect dirt and trash.
A catch basin only works when you clean it regularly. If it fills up and the dirt and trash collect beyond the level of the sewer outlet pipe, water cannot drain away. Your parking lot or yard will start to fill with rainwater, which can quickly cause many other problems.
How Often Should a Catch Basin Be Cleaned?
The gold standard of catch basin maintenance is to clean them at least every two years. An annual check is even better. You’ll be able to confidently face the melting snows of spring and the downpours of summer!
If your business regularly dumps water into your catch basins, more dirt will get washed into them. Keep them in good condition by scheduling more regular catch basin cleaning.
It may be tempting to wait until you notice that the storm drain is getting full, but that’s not a sensible move.
The weight of the residue in the drain strains the foundation and walls of the catch basin. The effect of the harsh Canadian climate can also take its toll, leading to collapsed catch basins. This is an expensive problem to put right that could have been prevented with regular cleaning and inspections.
Your property needs catch basins for drainage. A clogged catch basin can cause flooding and can cause pollutants to get into local waterways.
Signs Your Catch Basin Needs to Be Cleaned
If you notice that your catch basin is filling up with dirt, leaves, litter, or other debris or is overflowing, this is an urgent sign that you need catch basin cleaning. It’s much better to avoid your storm drain getting to this stage and schedule an annual cleaning, whether it looks like it needs one or not.
What Can Clog a Catch Basin?
Catch basins are magnets for dirt and leaves. If your catch basin is near a trash can that regularly overflows or a place notorious for littering, it can quickly fill up with food packaging. Considering all of these factors is essential when deciding when to schedule catch basin cleaning.
Call Trouble Shooters for Catch Basin Cleaning
Cleaning a catch basin is not a DIY project. You need the professional pumping and flushing vehicles of Trouble Shooters Plumbing & Drains to get the job done correctly. Our service also includes a catch basin inspection, which can spot signs of damage earlier. Contact us today to schedule catch basin cleaning in Toronto.
