Downspout Drainage
Downspout piping in the St. Louis Metropolitan area is extremely important. We’ve all experienced the wild swings in weather that can happen hourly… one minute you’re sitting by your pool relaxing and the next minute you’re vacuuming water from your flooded basement.
In the Midwest, unlike other parts of the country, having your rainwater downspouts connected to underground PVC piping is a critical, must-have feature. Similar to a solid roof or functioning gutters, gutter downspout drainage solutions must be given the attention required to ensure you have a long-term, always functioning solution. This helps protect your home from flooding, potential damage to your foundation, erosion issues, landscaping damage, and much more.
Read below to learn about the common issues we experience with traditional downspout piping on a daily basis, and why they occur. As you read, you will discover our downspout drainage options and what our company can do to provide you with a permanent solution for controlling your roof water.
Causes of Downspout Water Issues
Downspout Water Runoff
Standard downspout drain pipes run onto a splash block and basically dump water down the homes foundation. This leads to water running down the foundation to the footing which commonly jeopardizes the integrity of the foundation over time causing potential settling, basement flooding, etc.
Corrugated Piping
The black corrugated piping and pop up gutter drains that people buy from box stores is a major problem. It clogs, collapses, and fails over a short time after installation. It’s a bandaid fix, not a long-term solution.
Improper Sloping
Downspout piping has to be installed at the proper slope. If not, water will not discharge efficiently and will likely run backwards and run down the homes foundation.
Under Sized Pipes
Many property owners and contractors under estimate the size of the pipes needed to pipe water away from a home or building, especially the size requirements to handle a flash flood rain event. We commonly see a home that has 3 – 5 downspouts running in 4″ corrugated piping that’s all TEE’d together, and they wonder why it’s not working…
Pipe Maintenance
Just like gutters, underground downspout drains accumulate leaves and debris over time. Downspout piping must be flushed a couple times a year to make sure they’re clean when you need them most.
Construction Without Focus On Drainage
It’s common that property owners have remodeling and construction upgrades done on their property. More common than not, downspout piping and drainage is not a focus until water damage occurs, long after the construction project is completed.
How We Solve Downspout Piping Issues
PVC Underground Piping
Schedule 35 Sewer & Drain Pipe is the best PVC gutter pipe for downspout piping projects. It’s smooth walled on the inside, typically self cleans, holds up to freeze thaw, and is overall the best choice for drainage.
Correct Pipe Sizes
We analyze the roofs square footage and watershed during worst case scenario rain events. We then size downspout drainage system pipes accordingly.
Cleanout Connections
Cleanout connections are standard on all of our downspout connections. This give our clients access to the pipes and protects their investment for decades.
Proper Levels
We use a transit to shoot the grades to make sure we have proper slopes on all of our piping installations. Our work is guaranteed, so we can guarantee our clients it’ll be done right the first time.
Pipe Discharge
Our standard downspout piping configurations discharge at the correct location to minimize erosion and maximize efficiency all while self cleaning.
Compaction & Restoration
When our downspout drainage ideas are installed and complete, pipe runs are compacted. Additionally, any disturbed area are restored to pre-project condition (often times better).
Drainage Team Downspout Piping
Cleanout Connections
On all of the downspouts we pipe, we install PVC downspout adapters with cleanout connections. This provides our clients the peace of mind that their storm water system can easily be accessed to perform downspout cleaning and check functionality. If you install PVC gutter downspout drain piping without cleanout connections, your only option to access the piping is to cut out a section of piping or to dismantle the downspout from the connection. Cleanouts are an absolute must on downspout extension drainage systems.
PVC Downspout Piping
We install the best storm drain piping for our clients gutter downspout drainage projects, installed with the best installation practices.
Drain lines are all heavy duty schedule 35 sewer and drain pipe with glued connections. All turns and inflow connections are done utilizing 22’s, 45’s and WYE connectors.
Intricate Piping Installation
The skills of our downspout piping crews are unmatched. We can install pipes through the tightest of areas, many times several pipes in one trench. Going around utilities, through 100-year-old delicate tree roots, etc. is not a problem.
No obstacle is a “project stopper” for our crews.
Discharge Efficiency
Daylight the end of the pipes.
Years ago we used pop up emitters at the end of our discharge lines, and yes they look pretty (for drainage) and are hidden in the grass.
Problem: pop up drain emitters restrict water flow and also trap leaves and other debris in the pop-up elbow.
For the past 15+ years we have simply been daylighting the pipe at the end to allow water to free flow out of the end along with any debris in the pipe (this is absolutely the most efficient way for a piping system to operate).
Decorative Discharge
We have decorative options to make the discharge point(s) look like a landscaping feature and we can even camouflage the exit pipes with boulders so they are not visible, but still maintain full water flow.
Reasons We Are Your Downspout Piping Solution
1
Quality Components
We only use the best products on the market for our downspout piping projects. Learn more about our drainage components in our Installations Items Guide
2
Quick Installations
Our installation crews can complete underground downspout piping projects fast, most in 1 – 3 working days.
3
Crew Expertise
One of our downspout piping crews will install your system quickly and efficiently. Each one of our crew members is a drainage piping specialist that installs these systems everyday.
4
Affordable Systems
Our downspout drainage piping systems are cost effective considering most piping will last hundreds of years. We can custom tailor a phased approach for your project as we do with many of our condominium and apartment community clients.
5
Experience
We’ve been solving downspout piping issues since 1997 in the St. Louis area. That’s decades of experience and thousands of satisfied clients. Read our client reviews.
6
Locally Owned & Operated
We live in the St. Louis Missouri community and we support the community. We have first-hand knowledge of the local area… the soils, the construction practices, the wild weather here and much more.
7
BBB Accredited Company
“Research our Reputation, we are the Solution” is our trademarked slogan. Our reputation and client satisfaction is number one. We are an accredited Better Business Bureau member and maintain an A+ Rating. Visit our Why Choose Drainage Team to learn more about us.
8
Free Downspout Piping Quotes
We offer free, no obligation downspout piping quotes to property owners in our service area. Our quotes are professionally developed straight from our price book and are emailed to you within 1-2 business days. Still wondering if our company is a fit for your project? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more.
