Everything You Need to Know about Repairing or Rebuilding a Catch Basin

Catch basins perform one of the most important jobs when it comes to maintaining the overall longevity and strength of your asphalt parking lot. A lot of the times, people underestimate just how essential their catch basins are until something goes wrong. When it becomes apparent that your catch basin isn’t operating properly and you notice large puddles collecting all over your parking lot, it’s time to take action. Of course, even before it gets to that point, you should be administering regular maintenance to make sure that your catch basin is in proper working order; otherwise, you could run into some seriously expensive problems down the line. Fortunately, high-quality, affordable and reliable catch basin repair in Toronto isn’t completely out of reach.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about repairing or rebuilding a broken catch basin.

The Importance of Repairing a Broken Catch Basin

The number one sign of a broken catch basin is tremendous amounts of pooling water throughout your parking lot. As it happens, this is also the number one reason why you need to immediately repair your catch basin if it ever breaks. Pooling water is a huge problem for a lot of asphalt parking lots because it can cause the aggregate to decompose over time, ultimately leading to minor cracks which will eventually evolve into larger potholes. The excess water, which isn’t being collected by your malfunctioning catch basin will then penetrate the surface of the substrate and cause internal erosion that could weaken the structure of your parking lot.

Quite literally, the purpose of your catch basin is to prevent this domino effect from taking place and it all starts with proper routine maintenance tests and keen observation skills.

What You Should Know about Repairing or Replacing a Catch Basin

Catch basin replacement in Toronto and the GTA doesn’t necessarily have to be an overly complicated task as long as you call the right experts to do it for you. But before you do that, you should know a thing or two about the purpose of your catch basin, how it functions, and what can cause it to malfunction.

The purpose of your catch basin is to literally catch and prevent contaminants and debris from entering into your drainage system while also collecting excess water from your property. This effectively prevents excess water from pooling in depressions throughout your parking lot and making them worse.

Causes of Catch Basin Deterioration or Malfunction

The main reason that your catch basin could malfunction is if something that’s not supposed to be in there get through the grates and clogs the entire system. Even though the grates of your catch basin are meticulously spaced to prevent large pieces of debris from getting through, smaller pieces of debris can still make their way in and build up over time. Eventually, this blockage will cause any additional runoff water to backflow because there’s nowhere else for it to go.

Catch basins can also become damaged due to the erosion of the surrounding bricks that keep the mechanism in place. Water can then seep through the cracks, causing further erosion and render the catch basin defective.

Catch Basin Repairing and Rebuilding Techniques

Depending on the extent of the damage your catch basin has endured, there are three main techniques involved in repairing it. You can either completely rebuild it, rebuild the top half, or do an asphalt ring replacement. What that basically means is that you might have to adjust the diameter and depth of the manhole where your catch basin rests, remove it entirely and then resize it to make it function more efficiently. Sometimes, this might not be sufficient, though, and you might need to replace the catch basin entirely.

Defects You Should Avoid

While cleaning your catch basin, there are a few defects you need to look out for and avoid. Namely this includes developing sinkholes next to the catch basin, the catch basin being higher than the asphalt around it, and shifting to one side. All of these factors can damage the structure and hinder the performance of your catch basin. Cleaning your catch basin on a regular basis will make it easier for you to identify these defects sooner and avoid further damage.

Useful Catch Basin Repair Tips

First and foremost, you should always call a professional contractor for catch basin rebuilding in Toronto or anywhere else in the GTA simply because this is a complicated project that requires the utmost of attention to detail. Any small mistakes could end up exacerbating the issue and costing you more money in the long run.

Second, you should make sure that any damaged pieces of the catch basin or surrounding asphalt are removed before commencing the repair or rebuild. Excess pieces that can’t be reattached will most likely just get in the way of performing the job properly.

Third, always make sure that your contractor uses steel to seal and reinforce the asphalt surrounding the catch basin because this is the most durable material that’ll prevent the largest amount of debris from getting in.

Next, you should refrain from using a brand new asphalt parking lot or driveway for a least one full week to allow it to settle in properly.

And last but not least, mortar is the ideal material to prevent excess water from entering through cracks in your catch basin. It can effectively seal the cracks in the mechanism to stabilize it and prevent further damage.

Catch Basin Repair and Rebuilding in Toronto

Whether you’re looking for catch basin repairs in Brampton, Toronto, or anywhere else in the GTA, Sure-Seal Pavement Maintenance Inc. has you covered! For over 20 years, we’ve built up a strong reputation as one of the leading asphalt parking lot and driveway installation, repair, and property management contractors in Toronto and the GTA. We take great pride in the craftsmanship and quality of our work and all of our materials and labour are protected by a comprehensive seven-year warranty. For more information about our GTA catch basin repair services, please contact us!