skip to main content

rerouting downspouts

11 years ago

I would like to run some downspouts to the opposite corners of the house. That side of the yard slopes down to the street and I think would make more sense. Unfortunately, there are sidewalks that would have to be dealt with. What type of contractor do I call--gutter? concrete? excavator?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

annzgw
11 years ago
I'd first call a gutter company and see what they recommend as a solution.
After meeting with them, if you still need to tear up the yard or tunnel under a sidewalk, then I'd start with a general contractor.
The gutter guys may also have referrals for any additional work.
doug_gb
11 years ago
One way to accomplish this is to install a 'collection box' (they're about 12" square) right under the down spout. Then tunnel under the sidewalk - so you can connect a 4" corrigated flex-plastic pipe to the collection box. Run the pipe away from the house, and install a popup - say in the middle of your lawn.

Any good landscaping supplier or maybe Home Depot has exterior drainage products / ideas / literature.
Related Discussions
Downspout 'Bubblers' - experience please
Q
Comments (3)
and I just had my sump pump and gutter downspout lines buried. The guy wanted to put in a bubbler, but I said no because I felt the water would pool into a mud puddle rather than being absorbed by the lawn. (That is what was happening with the old setup, which routed the water into the garden beds. Instead, I had him dig in a big poly catch basin filled with gravel about 15 feet from the foundation. The water collects in the basin and then drains slowly into the ground. The pipe running underground to the basin is unperforated so the water doesn't drain near the foundation and doesn't fill with dirt. HTH. Rachel
...See More
Rats and my decision to replace or repair a catch basin
Q
Comments (4)
Thanks for the replies. "The catch basin can come later, or not at all. I'd probably mortar the holes from the outside. You can't actually get into yours, can you? How big is the access plate? This thing is holding liquid, right, or just a bunch of debris?" The access plate is about the size of a manhole cover - maybe 2 feet across, give or take a little. It *should* be holding three feet of liquid, but there is so much debris in there that there isn't any standing water. So, if we continue to use it, we have to remove the debris and let it fill up with water again. "I smell a rat if the plumber says he wants to route surface runoff (rain water) into city sewer. You should call to ask the city yourself if it is allowed. Around here the plumber and home owner could be fined and home owner would foot the bill for correcting it." The rainwater goes into the sewer right now (from the downspouts, underground into the catch basin, and from there into the sewer). My understanding is that this is how it was done 100 years ago and the city allows existing piping to remain, but new construction can't do this.
...See More
Why do my downspouts overflow when the sump pump turns on?
Q
Comments (15)
Landed here from a Google search where I had the same problem. What I discovered is that after heavy rain/snow melt, the water table around our house rises to the level of the underground french drain, into which the house gutter downspouts empty. And then, one of our sump pump outlets is routed into the downspout near the foundation. So when the water table is high, the french drain is saturated, and cannot take on any additional water, especially the water volume from the sump pump. My decision was to install a ball valve and a cleanout T connection in the sump pump outlet, so when the water table is high, I close off the route into the downspout, and connect a 20ft long pipe to the cleanout T (it's threaded, so I use a trap adapter to screw in to the T connection) that runs out to the driveway. It's not ideal, but it works. When it rains hard or we get a flood watch, I turn the valve and run the pump water out to the driveway instead of overflowing my french drains.
...See More
Shading for deck
Q
Comments (11)
Wait till you move in and live with a full season of changes first before doing anything. For instance the rooms inside those windows if a living room will not affect anyone since at that time of day you are eating in the kitchen or dining room and you are not even in the area when you get that setting sun coming in that may last at the most an hour. You maybe jumping the gun on a non existent problem. Inside draperies will help as well as maybe an awning on the outside-motorized IF need be.
...See More
lbpod
11 years ago
You can't just 'arbitratily' go to another corner of
the house, because the gutters are 'pitched' when they
are installed. Like has been mentioned, call 'several'
gutter companies. Hint: most of them will try to
skrew you.
shadetree_bob
11 years ago
Well there are probably a lot of ways to do this, but my money would be on removing the gutters and reinstalling them with the pitch going the other way. Probably the cheapest. I have dealt with several gutter companies in my area and I ain't been skrewed yet.
rj56
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks all for your comments. I know the gutters will need rehung, one needs replacing anyway. We have a nice gutter guy in our village, I was just wondering if it would be a difficult job. I wonder how much digging it would take to tunnel under the sidewalks. Not something I would look forward to. Thanks again.
elphaba_gw
11 years ago
I did a search for "tunnelling under a sidewalk" and got lots of hits. Reason I did this is because I remember in a landscaping class years and years ago, the teacher explained this was not a hard thing to do, at least for irrigation hoses. Not sure about a pipe that needs to be wide enough for drainage but take a look at:
google results
John Tebbs
11 years ago
Be sure you "call before you dig", since in many areas utility lines are frequently under sidewalks. I know ours are....
K
11 years ago
Is the water causing a problem where it's going now?

Runoff from roofs and paved surfaces should ideally go somewhere it can soak in and not to the street. When it goes to the street, it carries more pollutants into the streams.

There may be other options if the water is currently causing a problem.

I don't mean to sound preachy. Just giving you something to think about.

Cheers.

Related Stories

LANDSCAPE DESIGN To Manage Stormwater Sustainably, Understand Your Site

By Falon Mihalic

Follow this guide to learn how water moves through your landscape and how best to manage it

REMODELING GUIDES 10 Tips for Renovating Your Basement

By Shawn Gauthier

A professional contractor shares her tips on what to consider before you commit to a basement remodel

BASEMENTS Basement of the Week: A Creative Space for Kids and Storage for All

By Becky Harris

With mudroom organizers, laundry and a well-organized space for crafts, this basement puts a Massachusetts home in balance

Sponsored

Remodel Repair Construction

9 Reviews

Industry Leading General Contractors in Westerville

More Discussions

damage to marble?

6

Exterior Makeover Help Needed

11

Sliding glass doors leaking

9

diagnosing and fixing “weird house smells”

0

how to determine if house Reno’s

1