Tempo products are sold through qualified plumbing and irrigation supply houses. Contact your local supply house, or if you are having difficulty finding our products, please contact us directly and we will make sure you find a distributor of ours.
The standard warranty on all Tempo products is one year from date of purchase.
Tempo is proud to manufacture virtually all of its products in the USA.
List prices are available in our Price List. However every distributor is free to set their own selling price.
All basins are black as they are generally buried and not visible. Grates are typically available in black, green, sand and grey. The 3″ round flat grate is alao available in purple for reclaimed water applications. Check Price List for details.
We are happy to address your specific needs. However keep in mind that there may be minimum order quantities required for special custom colors.
All Tempo products are designed to fit standard pipe and fittings and hence are interchangeable with the most popular competitive products on the market when used as a retrofit.
Tempo is committed to being a “green” company and has engineered its products and manufacturing processes to be able to utilize first quality recycled plastics while still providing outstanding quality products designed for long life.
Excess water as a result of heavy rains or over-irrigation can cause substantial damage to both property and plants. Standing water is also a breeding area for mosquitoes. A well designed drainage system will allow this excess water to be quickly removed from critical areas to storm water sewers, street curbs or other areas where it may leach into the soil without causing damage.
All run-off water may be collected in rain tanks or any other suitable storage system for future use.
Drainage systems are appropriate for both residential and commercial properties in areas where potential flooding may be expected. There are very few areas in the USA where homes would not benefit from the protection of a drainage system. The same applies to most commercial properties, golf courses, medians, sports fields etc.
Designing a small residential system is relatively simple. Our Drainage Design Guide will take you through a step-by-step process to simple drainage design. For larger more sophisticated systems using a qualified drainage consultant or engineer is recommended.
If the natural topography of the area to be drained does not have the necessary fall to meet the minimum slope requirements, you will need to dig a trench with the minimum slope required and then use a combination of low profile basins and catch basins, some of which will have one or multiple risers to make sure that grates end up at grade level.
Drainage systems are relatively easy to install. However the drainage pipe must be buried and trenches need to be dug and then eventually backfilled. The homeowner should evaluate their ability to design their own system and then whether they are able and willing to excavate the trenches before deciding whether to do it themselves or to use a qualified drainage contractor. Our Drainage Installation Guide takes you through a step-by-step process to simple drainage installation.
Drainage systems, because of the need for buried drainage pipes, are most easily installed at the same time the landscape and irrigation system is installed. However, it may also be added later.
This is an ideal application for your drainage system. Water from the downspout can be collected in a catch basin as it exits and then be ported through the drainage system to a suitable location like the storm water sewer or street curb.
There are methods of retaining stormwater on site. The most common way of achieving this is to direct the excess water to a French Drain. French Drains are created by excavating large holes and filling them with small rocks. The water then percolates from this drain into the surrounding soil.
Most of the components of the system are plastic so rust will not be an issue. We also have grates made of brass which also do not rust.
Besides a trencher or shovel to excavate the trenches, installing a drainage system does not require specialized tools or equipment. Everyday items like saws to cut the pipe, levels to evaluate the slope etc are required. A utility knife or small chisel may be used to remove the optional cut-out on the bottom of the square catch basins. A 5/8″ hole saw may be used to remove the optional drain holes at the bottom of the square catch basins.
In most cases basins are encased in the surrounding soil which needs to be well compacted. However when the grate and basin may be exposed to high traffic and load, encasing in concrete is recommended.
Basin and grate weights are shown on the Price List but as they are made of plastic, they are relatively light and easy to carry.
Pipe cutters or a saw should be used to cut the pipe (a sharp utility knife can be used for corrugated pipe). Make sure the cut is clean and square.
All 3″ through 6″ grates attach directly to drainage pipe. Each grate has 3 stepped diameters with each diameter matching the internal diameter of commonly used drainage pipe. The lead-in diameter fits Triple Wall Pipe, the next diameter fits Sewer and Drain Pipe and Corrugated Pipe while the last diameter generated by the tabs fits Sewer and Drain hub fittings. The pipe or fittings are simply press fitted and should not be solvent welded. For best results make sure the pipe is cut clean and square. Sometimes the manufacturing tolerances on Corrugated Pipe are fairly large so the fit may not always be perfect. To resolve this, try pushing the Corrugated Pipe onto the next diameter formed by the tabs or secure with Duct Tape.
Grates are typically installed 1/4″ below the surrounding grade level so position the basin accordingly.
Basins are available from 6″ through 18″ and have capacities ranging from 0.8 gallons through 17 gallons.
A basin to 3″ or 4″ pipe adapter (part number ABA34) easily clips into the square catch basin outlets to accept 3″ or 4″ pipe. We also have a basin to 6″ pipe adapter (part number ABA6) which clips into the square catch basin outlets to accept 6″ pipe. The round catch basins have built in outlets on to which 3″ or 4″ pipe can easily be attached.
The basin to 3″ or 4″ pipe adapter (ABA34) accepts all 3″ and 4″ pipe commonly used with drainage systems. The basin to 6″ pipe adapter (ABA6) accepts all 6″ pipe commonly used with drainage systems.
Corrugated Pipe, Sewer and Drain Pipe and Triple Wall Pipe can be used. Corrugated pipe is the easiest to install but the more rigid Sewer and Drain or Triple Wall Pipe may offer improved results.
A riser should be used when the depth of the trench is too deep, and using a catch basin by itself would result in the top of the basin sitting below grade.
For 9” or 12” basins, an ABR9 or ABR12 may need to be stacked on the basin to bring the grate up to the ground surface.
For 6” round basins, a length of PVC pipe may be cut to the desired length to bring the grate after being installed to grade level. The grate may be attached directly to the top of the pipe, but for a better fit, use a 6” PVC coupler between the grate and pipe.
Yes. The risers were designed to nest together to achieve the correct height.
A riser increases the height of the installed grate by approximately 6 inches.
The 6″ round basin accepts 6″ ASTM D2729 and ASTM D3034, SDR35 PVC Sewer and Drain pipe as a riser. Cut the pipe to the desired height and push into top of basin. Finally position the 6″ round grate directly on to the top of the pipe or use a 6″ coupling in between the grate and pipe for a better fit.
A catch basin is basically a settling tank so that debris and sediment can sink to the bottom of the sump of the basin and not enter and potentially plug the drainage pipe. If you are concerned that this may occur, then a catch basin is recommended.
A low profile basin should be used when the depth of the trench is too shallow, and using a regular 9” or 12” catch basin would result in the grate being above grade. In this situation, a low profile basin (BS9LP or BS12LP) needs to be used instead.
The sump is the bottom section of the basin below the outlet. The volume of this section is known as the sump capacity and is usually measured in gallons.
Basins are often used in series but keep in mind that water only flows downhill so each basin must be slightly lower than the previous one.
No glue or adhesive is needed to attach the grate, plug or adapter to the basin.
At the bottom of the 9″, 12″ and 18″ basin is a potential outlet that can be cut out along the marked template. Most people use a utility knife to do this and care should be taken while cutting. Once this cut out is removed use a basin to 3″ or 4″ pipe adapter (part number ABA34) or a basin to 6″ pipe adapter (part number ABA6) to connect to the drainage pipe.
A basin plug (part number ABP) easily clips into any unused outlet on square catch basins. The round catch basins can not be plugged. However, there are two round catch basin versions (1 outlet and 2 outlets) available so select the model with the correct number of outlets.
The 6″ round basin accepts both the 6″ round flat and 6″ round atrium style grates. The 9″ square basin accepts the 9″ square flat and 9″ square atrium style grate. The 12″ square basin accepts the 12″ square flat and 12″ square atrium style grate. Lastly, the 18″ square basin accepts the 18″ square flat grate.
Screwing the grates on to the basin is recommended to prevent theft or vandalism. A basin without the grate is also a safety hazard. Use #6 1.5″ long, stainless steel Phillips flathead screws.
The primary application for the 7” square universal grate is for tiled or paved areas where a square grate is easier to install than a round grate.
Also, the 7” square universal grate may be preferable when you want to attach directly to 3” or 4” pipe and you have higher flow rates than a 3” or 4” grate will allow. The square universal grate is very versatile and also connects directly to 3” and 4” Sewer and Drain, Corrugated and Triple Wall Pipe, 3”, 4” and 6” Sewer and Drain Hub Fittings and the 6” Round Catch Basins.
The most typical application for the brass grates is in high visibility areas (e.g. walkways, sidewalks or pool areas). The brass grates are attached to a PVC collar, which should be permanently glued on to a PVC pipe or hub fitting.
The Pop-Up relief valve (emitter) is used at the end of the drainage pipe to discharge water to an appropriate location. It is often placed close to the street so that water flows over the curb to the street without the need for core drilling the curb.
The flat grates are designed for light traffic while the atrium grates are not. Specific load ratings are shown in the specifications tab of the product pages on our website. Specification sheets can also be downloaded on each respective product page. The 3″ through 6″ grates are designed for pedestrian traffic while the 9″ through 18″ grates can withstand autos and light trucks. In addition, the grates have a textured surface to minimize the risk of slippage.
Periodic cleaning out of the catch basin (if used) is recommended to prevent sediment and small debris from getting into the drainage pipes and plugging the system.
There are 4 small round perforations at the bottom of the square catch basins that may be removed if desired. This will allow standing water to drain into the soil below the basin. To create these holes along the perforations, use a 5/8″ hole saw.
Provided the load ratings are adhered to, the grates should last for years. Slight discoloration due to sun exposure is to be expected.
The easiest way to check is to use a hose to run water onto the grate and make sure that the water is being re-routed to the planned discharge point.
Please contact us for more information. We’re happy to help!
