Downspout extensions
Buried downspout extensions in Louisville, KY
Often the least expensive fix. A Louisville roof sheds thousands of gallons in a storm, and a downspout dumping it next to the foundation is a common cause of a wet basement. We bury the line and take it away.
Signs you need it
Roof water is foundation water
Downspouts ending at a splash block
A splash block moves water two feet. The foundation is right there.
Wet basement on the side with the most roof
Follow the gutters. Where the roof drains is where the basement leaks.
Erosion or settling next to the house
Concentrated water washes out soil and undermines the footing over time.
Above-ground extensions that get kicked, mowed and removed
Buried lines stay where they are put.
What we do
Buried lines, pop-up emitters, water gone
We trench from each downspout to a discharge point well away from the house, install solid drain pipe with proper fall, connect it to the downspout with an adapter, and finish it with a pop-up emitter that opens under flow and sits flush with the lawn when dry. Multiple downspouts can share a line. Where the lot slopes, the line runs to daylight; where it does not, we can use a dry well or a French drain.
Often this is the first thing we recommend, and sometimes it is the whole fix. It is also part of most basement and crawl space jobs we do, because a drainage system that still has the roof dumping on it is fighting with one hand.
- Solid pipe, proper fall, buried below mower depth
- Pop-up emitters or daylight outlets
- Sump discharge lines tied in where present
- Lawn put back cleanly
See the work
A downspout line, before backfill
Footage from a Watertight job. Short and silent, so it plays anywhere.
How the job goes
Usually done in a day
Map the roof water
Which downspouts carry the most, where they can drain to, what is in the way.
Trench
From each downspout to the outlet, with fall checked.
Pipe and connect
Solid pipe, adapters at the downspout, emitter or outlet at the end.
Backfill and test
Turf replaced, lines flushed with water and checked.
On the job
From the crew's own photos
Real Watertight jobs. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
What it costs
Price your downspout extensions and buried drains in a minute
A few questions give a planning range from the same calculator as the cost guide. See every line, or book a free inspection with your numbers attached.
Why Watertight
Small job, done properly, by people who see what happens when it is not
We spend our days under houses looking at the damage roof water causes. That is why we take a downspout job seriously and route it right.
- Correct fall and outlets, not a pipe to nowhere
- Combined with grading and drains when needed
- Often the first, cheapest step we recommend
3 months agoWatertight are the best. I searched around and had a few companies come give me quotes but Zach the owner made the decision easy. They are a great group of guys that just want to do a good job and make their customers happy. The delivered on both. They…
3 months agoZach’s crew of “good old country boys,” as he described them, waterproofed our basement December 1st and 3rd because we had a big-for-Kentucky snow, and the guys couldn’t make it to Shelbyville on the 2nd. From the website, we could tell they mainly…
a month agoThese guys worked hard to do a great job and they cleaned and hauled away all the debris and trash. My basement is definitely beautiful. Thank you Watertight Waterproofing.
Questions
Downspout extensions and buried drains: what people ask
Still have a question? Call the office, Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
How much do buried downspout extensions cost?
It depends on the length of the run, obstacles and the outlet, and several downspouts sharing a line cost less each. Every job is priced in writing after a free inspection, and the cost guide has typical Louisville ranges and a calculator for planning.
How far from the house should downspouts discharge?
At least ten feet, and further on clay lots that do not drain. We aim the outlet at the lowest practical point away from the foundation.
Will the pop-up emitter get clogged?
They can collect debris over years; lifting the cap and rinsing clears it. We install a cleanout where the line is long.
Is this enough to fix my wet basement?
Sometimes it is the whole fix. If water is coming from groundwater pressure rather than the roof, you need drainage inside too. The inspection tells us which.
Projects
Real jobs, before and after
Each pair is one Watertight job, photographed before and after. Nothing staged, nothing stock.
An open sump pit, sealed and lined
An exposed pump in an open pit, rebuilt with a sealed lid, a proper discharge line and a lined wall.
Read the story
A basement corner, mid-job and finished
A corner caught mid-job with a saw and a hammer on the floor, finished in white liner over a dark floor.
Read the story
Crawl space encapsulation, start to finish
Bare dirt and rubble under the joists, now covered by a white liner from the floor up the block wall.
Read the storyWhere we do this work
Downspout extensions and buried drains across Louisville and Kentuckiana
Every area has its own page on the houses and ground in that part of town.
Free estimate
Downspouts: get a written price
Tell us what you are seeing. A technician calls back during business hours and books a time to look. No cost, no obligation.
- Photos and a plain explanation of the cause
- Written scope and price
- Our own crew, not a subcontractor
- We beat any reputable company's price on the same scope
