A catch basin only works as well as its frame is set and its sump is kept clean. This guide covers how the cast iron frame and grate go in, how the structure is brought to grade, and what a maintenance cycle looks like. It is written for crews and inspectors; the engineering (inlet spacing, capacity) belongs in the drainage design and in FHWA's HEC-22.
Before the frame goes on
- Check the structure top. The precast top slab or riser must be level, at the design elevation minus the frame height plus any adjustment rings, with no chipped bearing surface.
- Confirm the pattern. Match the frame and grate to the drawing: OPSD number, dished vs flat vs V-type, and the load rating. A dished grate set where the design calls for flat will pond or catch a plow blade.
- Confirm orientation. Dished and V-type grates and side-inlet frames have a direction. Set them to the gutter flow and the curb line, not to whatever way the truck dropped them.
Setting the frame
- Bed it fully. Set the frame on a continuous mortar bed or a butyl or elastomeric sealant. Never on shims or bricks. A frame that bears on points cracks the casting or the slab under traffic.
- Bring it to grade with rings, not with a tall mortar bed. Use precast concrete or HDPE adjustment rings between the structure and the frame. HDPE rings (the LADTECH/DOMCAST speed rings in our catalog) are light, do not spall, and can be trimmed on site. Keep the ring stack within the municipality's limit; a tall stack rocks under traffic and loosens the frame.
- Set flush with finished pavement so plows and wheels pass over without an edge to strike. In the boulevard, set slightly proud of the sod so grass does not close the openings.
- Seat the grate and check it does not rock. A rocking grate is the number one source of noise complaints and broken lugs.
Curb inlets and side-inlet frames
Where the design calls for a combination inlet, the backarch or side-inlet frame has to match the curb profile and be formed into the curb pour. Coordinate the curb and the casting delivery so the curb crew has the piece on site.
Maintenance cycle
- Inspect twice a year at minimum: after spring melt and after leaf drop. Check that the grate is seated, the frame has not shifted, and the openings are clear.
- Clean the sump when it is a third full. Catch basins are sized to trap sediment; once the sump fills, sediment carries into the sewer. Vacuum trucks handle this in one stop per structure.
- Clear the grate before forecast storms on streets with heavy leaf cover. HEC-22 sizes sag inlets assuming half the grate is blocked; a clean grate is the margin you were designed for.
- Replace, do not weld, a cracked grate. Grey iron does not weld reliably in the field. A cracked casting comes out and a matching pattern goes in.
- Re-set frames that have dropped. A frame sitting below pavement collects a ring of pothole and lets plows hit the far edge. Lift, re-bed, and re-shim with rings.
Ordering replacements
Photograph the grate top, measure the frame's outside dimensions and the clear opening, and note any cast markings (pattern number, city name, year). Send those with the request and we will match the pattern from the catch basin line. Dimensions and weights are confirmed per SKU at quote.
Frequently asked questions
How often should catch basins be cleaned?
Inspect at least twice a year, after spring melt and after leaf drop, and clean the sump once it is about a third full of sediment. Streets with heavy leaf cover need the grate cleared ahead of forecast storms.
What should a catch basin frame sit on?
A continuous mortar bed or an elastomeric or butyl sealant over the precast top or adjustment rings, never on shims. Point bearing cracks castings and slabs under traffic.
Can I use HDPE adjustment rings instead of concrete?
Yes, where the municipal standard allows them. HDPE rings are lighter, do not spall, and can be trimmed on site to hit grade. Keep the total stack height within the standard's limit.
Can a cracked cast iron grate be welded?
Not reliably in the field. Grey iron castings are replaced with a matching pattern rather than welded.