Downspouts and Drainage That Move Water Away From Your Foundation
The Seamless Brothers design and install downspouts, extensions, splash blocks and buried drain lines that carry roof water well away from the house. On Midlands clay soil, where water pools instead of soaking in, getting the water ten feet from the foundation is the difference between a dry crawlspace and a wet one.
Where the water goes matters as much as the gutter
A perfectly installed gutter that dumps water at the corner of the house has only moved the problem. A 6-inch gutter on a typical Midlands roof can deliver hundreds of gallons in a single summer thunderstorm, and all of it exits at the downspouts. If those land on bare clay next to the foundation, the water sits there.
What we install
- Properly sized downspouts. Enough of them, in the right places, so no single run is asked to drain more roof than it can.
- Extensions and splash blocks. The simplest fix for most homes: carry the water several feet out onto grade that slopes away.
- Underground drain lines. Buried pipe from the downspout to a pop-up emitter or daylight outlet in the yard, so nothing is in the way of mowing and the water leaves the house entirely.
- Re-routing. Moving a downspout off a walkway, driveway or patio where it ices or stains.
Common problems we fix
Downspouts that end at the foundation, elbows that clog with needles, extensions that got kicked off and never replaced, and downspouts discharging onto a neighbor's lot or a driveway. We look at the whole lot at the estimate, including where the grade actually slopes, and design the routing around that.
Downspout Solutions: common questions
How far from the house should a downspout discharge?
At least four to six feet on soil that drains, and farther on Midlands clay. A buried drain line to a pop-up emitter in the yard is the cleanest way to get the water well clear of the foundation.
Can you bury my downspout drain lines?
Yes. We run buried pipe from the downspout to a pop-up emitter or daylight outlet so the water leaves the house entirely and nothing is in the way of mowing.
How many downspouts does a house need?
It depends on roof area and the length of each gutter run. As a rule, no run should be asked to drain more roof than one downspout can handle in a heavy storm. We size and place them at the estimate.
Can you move a downspout that empties onto my driveway?
Yes. Re-routing a downspout off a walkway, patio or driveway is a common request, and we can tie it into a buried line if there is nowhere else for the water to go.
Where we offer downspout solutions
Based in Batesburg-Leesville and serving the Midlands of South Carolina. No travel fee within our service area.
Other gutter services
Seamless Gutter Installation
Custom 6-inch seamless gutters fabricated on site and installed by the owners across Columbia, Lexington and the Midlands of SC.
Gutter Guards
Bulldog and Grizzly gutter guards for pine straw and oak leaves, installed by the owners across Columbia, Lexington and the Midlands.
Gutter Repair
Sagging, leaking or detached gutters fixed right the first time across Columbia, Lexington and the Midlands of SC.
Ready for a free estimate?
Tell us what you need and one of the owners will get back to you, usually within the hour. Line-item estimate within 24 hours of the visit. No pressure, no ballparks.