Yes, you should bury your downspouts if you have issues with water pooling, foundation damage, or erosion, as it effectively moves large amounts of water far from your home's foundation, preventing basement leaks and structural problems while also improving curb appeal by hiding bulky pipes and reducing tripping hazards. For best results, use solid PVC pipes, ensure a slight downward slope, discharge water at least 10-15 feet away, use proper connectors (like a Wye for merging lines), and consider daylighting or connecting to a French drain.
While buried discharge pipes for both downspouts and sump pumps provide a clean and efficient way to move water away, problems with buried downspouts can still arise. Issues such as clogs, poor installation, root intrusion, and freezing can compromise their effectiveness.
For safety and appearance reasons, buried downspouts are superior. Buried extensions channel water away from the foundation and walkways, and keep landscaping intact. Aesthetically, underground drainage conceals bulky downspout drains snaking across the lawn, which also reduces trip hazards.
Downspout Spacing
Every building and home is different, so placing downspouts can be tricky. A good rule of thumb for downspout spacing is at least every 30 to 40 feet. If you want to play it safe or get a lot of torrential rain, err on the side of caution and install downspouts every 25 feet.
It is important that your downspouts and extensions remain in place throughout the winter months. Detaching them can cause the gutters to become clogged or even damage the gutter system, resulting in costly repairs or replacements.
Installing a buried downspout drainage system is a great way to manage rainwater runoff and keep it away from your foundation. By minimizing the risk of flooding and soil erosion, buried downspouts offer a reliable, low-maintenance alternative to surface-level options.
Use Perforated Pipe Where Possible : After you are a safe distant away from the house and/or other hardscape spaces where you wouldn't want to add water, change from non-perforated to perforated piping to help prevent the underground downspout pipe from holding water that could freeze and cause a blockage or damage.
Dig the trench: Create a trench 12-18 inches deep and 6 inches wider than your pipe. Install the pipe: Connect a downspout adapter and lay PVC or corrugated pipe with a 1/8 inch per foot slope. Backfill properly: Add gravel, wrap with landscape fabric, fill with soil, and compact in layers.
To ensure proper coverage and protection, bury your downspout extension at least 12 inches deep.
A splash stone at the end of your downspout can help protect your lawn from erosion. If you'd like to capture that rainwater to use for watering your lawn or garden later in the year, consider installing a rain barrel. Rain barrels collect water from a diverted and modified downspout.
Benefits of Burying Your Downspouts
Excess water near your foundation can lead to structural issues over time. Buried downspouts direct water away efficiently, helping prevent basement flooding and foundation problems.
Buried downspouts tend to clog because of the accumulation of debris from the gutters that make their way into the pipes.
Bottom Line. For most homeowners, an underground gutter drainage system costs between $2,000 and $4,000, depending on the number of downspouts, soil conditions, and installation complexity. Investing in proper drainage can save thousands in potential foundation or water damage repairs later.
Underground gutter drains are a great way to channel water away from your home. They are often preferred over having unsightly drainage pipes lying all over the lawn. However, as good as this solution is for dealing with water drainage, there are a number of things that can impact how well they function.
Downspouts assits gutter drainage by carrying the water to the road, a nearby drainage system, or to the side of your home. Water will overflow in various spots when these underground drains get clogged, causing damage to your gutter system.
As a rule of thumb, most providers will cover a collapsed drain which has been caused by accidental damage. However, your definition of accidental damage may differ from the definition given by your insurance company.
Choosing the wrong downspout pipe, like a perforated pipe, defeats the purpose and allows water to leach through the line near the home's foundation. Instead, homeowners should use a solid corrugated pipe when burying downspouts. Solid pipe is the best option because it's flexible and can be run in one piece.
If at all possible, the downspout should end in an elbow and extension that directs the water 5 to 6 feet away from your foundation. However, make sure that it does not extend onto your neighbor's property. The extension should be at a 30 degree or more angle in relation to the ground.
No, you should not drive over a french drain, unless it's been built to handle that kind of weight.
Otherwise, the rainwater might get backed up in the gutter until it starts overflowing. The right way to do it is to have the downspout end at least 12 inches from the ground level, leaving enough room to pitch the extension at the base without disrupting the flow of water.
Determining the correct depth for a French drain depends on the specific drainage issue you're addressing, the soil type, and the location of the installation. For surface water management, depths of 12–18 inches are typically sufficient.
We highly recommend this practice, and often people ask “why pour salt down the drain?” The answer is that salt will break down grease and emulsified fats by itself, and especially when combined with vinegar and hot water it can contribute to clearer pipes.
The lifespan of your gutters and downspouts largely depends on the material they're made of. Aluminum and steel gutters typically last around 20 years, while vinyl gutters tend to have a shorter lifespan of about 10-15 years. Copper gutters, known for their durability, can last up to 50 years or more.
Additional Tips to Prevent Downspouts from Freezing