Where should downspouts drain?

Downspouts should send water well away from the house, onto ground that slopes away and can soak it up, or into a drain system built for it. Water dumped at the foot of the wall is the most common reason we see wet crawl spaces, stained siding and rot at the bottom of walls.

The three common setups

1. Extension and splash block. The downspout turns out onto the lawn or a bed. Simple and low-cost, and in Portland it needs no permit if it meets the City's distances (see Portland's downspout rules).

2. Underground line to daylight. A solid pipe carries water across the yard to a spot lower down where it can come out safely. Good on lots that slope away from the house.

3. Piped to a drywell or the old sewer connection. Common on older Portland houses. These need care: old clay pipes crack, roots get in, and water backs up at the base of the downspout.

We install downspout extensions, splash blocks and underground lines to daylight. We don't work on drywells or sewer connections.

Signs your downspouts are hurting the house

• Puddles or a washed-out trench at the base of a downspout.
• Water in the crawl space after storms.
• Splash marks, moss or peeling paint low on the siding.
• A downspout that gurgles or overflows at the top of the underground pipe.
• Soft wood at the bottom of the wall near a downspout. If you find that, our Dry Rot site explains the repair.

A quick check you can do

In the next heavy rain, walk around the house with an umbrella. Every downspout should be carrying water, and none should be pouring it against the foundation, onto a walkway, or toward a neighbor. Note the ones that fail.

Planning it right

Where the water goes is part of the gutter job, not an afterthought. We plan each downspout's path before we hang anything.

Our work is covered by a 2-year workmanship warranty, in writing.

Get a free gutter estimate or call Tim, (503) 597-8520.