Downspout and buried drain lines
A lot of foundation water starts on the roof. Here's how buried lines send it somewhere harmless.
In a summer cloudburst a roof collects a surprising amount of water, and each downspout focuses it on one small patch of ground. When that patch sits beside the slab or crawl space wall, the soil there stays soaked, beds wash out and water finds its way into garages and under floors. A buried drain line connects the downspout to solid pipe that carries the water out into the yard or to the street.
Solid pipe or perforated?
Roof water should usually travel in solid pipe. The goal is to move it away, not to leak it back into the soil next to the house. Perforated pipe belongs in a French drain, where the point is to collect water from the ground. Using perforated pipe for downspouts, or mixing the two on one line, is a common reason these systems fail.
Common outlets
- Pop-up emitters that lift open when water arrives and close when it stops
- Curb outlets through to the street gutter, where allowed
- Daylight outlets on a downhill slope or into an existing swale
- Rain gardens or planted low areas that soak water in on your own lot
Signs a buried line is clogged or broken
- Water burping up at the downspout connection during storms
- Gutters overflowing even after a cleaning
- A soggy, green strip of lawn following the pipe route
- A pop-up emitter that never opens
Pine needles, oak leaves and roots
Tallahassee's tree canopy is a big reason buried lines clog. Pine straw and oak leaves wash down the downspout and pack into the pipe, and roots find any joint that leaks. Gutter screens and a cleanout near each downspout make maintenance easier. If an older line already exists, a camera inspection or jetting can show whether it can be cleared or should be replaced. Keep roof water out of any sewer cleanout, too: rainwater belongs in the stormwater system.
Every yard is priced on site. The contractor needs to see the slope, the soil and the outlet before putting a number on the job, so we don't quote prices here, and a figure given over the phone sight unseen is only a ballpark.
Where we connect you with help
- Tallahassee
- Bradfordville and Killearn Lakes
- Lake Jackson and northwest Tallahassee
- Woodville and south Leon County
Common questions
How far should downspout water be carried?
Far enough that it can't run back toward the house. That depends on your slope, so ask the contractor to show you the outlet and the path water will take from there.
Can an old buried line be cleaned out?
Often, if the pipe isn't crushed. A camera inspection shows whether jetting will work or a section needs replacing.
Related services
More background: Leon County drainage guide.
Yard turning into a pond after every summer storm?
Call and a local drainage contractor will come look at where the water starts and where it can safely go.