Downspout Extensions: Why use them?
As a gutter company in the greater Atlanta area, we know a lot about roof water diversion. Any gutter company can tell you to divert your roof water, but have they told you why or how far it should be diverted? Did you know poor drainage and improperly diverted water can lead to larger issues around your home?
The Landscape and Drainage
Did you know there are backfill zones around every home? What this creates is a “pocket” of disturbed soil(typically about 5-15 feet around your foundation, depending on the type of build) that water can flow through very easily, straight to your foundation!
Water that sits in this backfill zone, also known as an "active zone" can cause major concerns over time. For instance, it can soften the soil and lead to settlement of your foundation. Enough water pooling in this zone can cause water intrusion and bowing walls from the hydrostatic pressure. Water can cause quite a lot of damage, if left unchecked.
When looking at drainage around a home, gutters play a huge role in diverting all that roof water. What happens when it reaches the ground? All that water has to go somewhere. Sometimes, there is proper grading away from the foundation to flow smoothly to the edge of a property. Unfortunately, this is not always true.
What are some options?
1 Typically, your builder will grade the property when he builds the home, helping the water move along. Over time, the ground will settle, and the grading can smooth out, creating issues with natural water flow on the property. This is why typically you will see issues in homes that have stood some time. There are a few options for diverting the water out of the "active zone"
- Regrading a property can be expensive, as most properties slope and dip in various areas that would need to be smoothed out for proper drainage.
- You could plant more bushes/trees next to your home to absorb the water. Depending on height, these trees would potentially add to clogging issues on the gutters, not to mention, certain trees and bushes have strong enough roots to compromise a foundation.
- Another option is gutters and downspout extensions. This can redirect your roof water to another location for discharge.
What is the purpose of gutters?
The purpose of gutters is to divert the misplaced water from your roof. Your roof and home is not a naturally occurring part of the landscape. Nature does not simply choose to avoid where your home is, thus, this water is displaced and shed by your roof. It must go somewhere; thus, a gutter system is a necessity for any home.
When installing a gutter system, this water will be diverted to wherever the gutter lets out. Be it right next to your foundation, or the edge of your property, the water must have an exit for a gutter system.
What are downspout extensions?
Downspout extensions are piping added to the bottom of a gutter downspout that diverts water away from your foundation. As with gutters, not all extensions are the same. Water will never flow uphill without a pump, so please keep limitations in mind when considering extensions.
Extensions can of course be directed to a proper slope. To determine what would be best for your home, first, you must determine how far you need the water to travel.
From there, you have two main options that you will typically see.
- Corrugated piping. This is the black “accordion like” piping you can sometimes see. This is typically made of a form of plastic and fairly cheap. These are best used when you only need to go a few feet with the extensions and are ok with the piping on top of the soil. There are a couple of downsides with this option when you need a further distance.
a. When buried, they can be crushed by equipment like lawnmowers.
b. As they age, they become very brittle, making them more susceptible to cracking and breaking.
c. Small debris from your gutters can get caught in the pockets and build up, creating a clog.
- Buried PVC piping. This is similar to the piping used in your plumbing and a great option for downspout extensions. This can take the water long distances from the home, as long as there is room to pitch the pipe. They have quite a few benefits over their corrugated counterparts.
a. The smooth walls allow for small debris to flow smoothly to the exit for the extension.
b. They can be tied into each other with secure connections, same as plumbing.
c. As a stronger material, it can withstand equipment like lawnmowers.
d. PVC does not deteriorate as quickly as the corrugated piping and lasts decades longer.
Conclusion
There are many options when looking into water diversion. Typically, downspout extensions are an affordable and effective option to divert roof water. PVC is a great preference, as the water can travel further and remain hidden for aesthetics. This helps to lessen the amount of water right next to your foundation, preventing future problems that water can cause. In the scheme of things, it is much better to divert the water than to suffer the consequences.