In addition to downspouts and retaining walls, catch basins are important components in the prevention of water damage to your property. These basins are the most important pieces of a landscape drainage system. Knowing what they are, why they are important, and how to keep them maintained will ensure that your property won’t succumb to standing water damage. Here are some important things to know about catch basins.
What Are Catch Basins and How Do They Work?
Catch basins are boxes that are placed at various points in the ground of your property where standing water tends to accumulate. The top of the box comprises a grate – excess water and solid particulate drains from ground level through this grate into an underground box. The solid matter collects at the bottom of this box while water accumulates until it reaches what’s called an outlet trap. This trap connects to a piping system underground that directs the excess water to a local stream or municipal sewage facility.
Why Catch Basins Are Important in Your Landscape
Not only does standing water look bad, it can do serious damage to your other landscaping features and your home. Standing water can promote the growth of bacteria and encourage the multiplication of mosquitoes and other insects, putting your family at risk of disease and serious illness. Your plants can also end up drowning if left under excess water. Most importantly, however, standing water poses a threat to your home and its foundation. Without an effective drainage system, water can end up causing pressure cracks in the siding or foundation which eventually allow it to penetrate into your home. And once water makes it into your home, mold and bacteria can affect your family’s health and eat away at your foundation.
Catch Basin Maintenance
With so much at stake, it’s critical to know just how to maintain your catch basins once they have been installed, especially during the rainy season when storm runoff is at its highest. The most important part in this regard is the underground basin which collects solid matter over time. Regular cleaning of this piece ensures that the outlet pipes leading to the municipal sewage source or stream don’t end up blocked off. Generally, this will be done once the basin is 1/3 filled with solid matter, so you may find it helpful to simply check the basin every month or two and monitor the level, cleaning as required.
FOR ALL OF YOUR LANDSCAPING NEEDS, TRUST TDH LANDSCAPING!
If you have a unique, personal landscaping project in mind, contact TDH Landscaping. We will work with you to combine your vision with our renowned expertise and experience to make it happen. We have been in business for over fifty years, and our goal is to give every landscape a curated touch while offering the knowledge to keep your residential outdoor area beautiful all year long. Give us a call today at 410-692-0050, send us an email at Sales@tdhnl.com, or fill out our contact form here to get the process started. Keep up with our blog for more updates and helpful tips, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Youtube, and Houzz!