Downspout Decisions

Downspouts don’t always have to be big, ugly contraptions that stretch across your lawn.  One option is to bury pipes underground that lead to the edge of the yard and carry the roof water away.  However, there must be a pitch in the yard for this to work.  Also, all of the leaves and other debris that end up in the gutter could get into those underground pipes and clog the system.

The only way this method might work is if there are very few elbows and an extreme pitch on the pipe.  If your yard cannot meet those criteria, you might want to consider a different downspout extension.

An alternative underground extension is called LawnScape Outlet, which carries roof water away with virtually no pitch required.  It can also be used for discharge lines on sump pumps.

Another product called RainChute is installed into the ground about an inch and can take the water up to 7 feet away, which makes a big difference.  One advantage of RainChute is that it’s not a tripping hazard or an unsightly nuisance to mow around.  Also, it’s not completely underground, so it’s less expensive and won’t clog.

Woods Basement Systems offers both of these alternatives to bulky downspouts to carry water away from your home.