How to Drain Downspout Water Flow Away from a House

In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shares tips for draining rainwater away from your house.

Steps:

1. Clean gutters regularly to keep rainwater flowing freely.

2. Attach elbow to bottom end of downspout and connect a downspout extension to carry rainwater away from the foundation.

3. If using a splash block at end of downspout, be sure the splash block and ground upon which it rests slope away from the house.

4. Don’t redirect rainwater from downspout toward a driveway where it can freeze in winter.

5. To carry rainwater far from the house, dig a shallow trench from the downspout out to daylight. Then bury 4-inch-diameter PVC pipe in the trench and connect it to the downspout.

6. When you can’t extend the downspout to daylight, dig trench extending 10 feet from house and line it with either perforated PVC pipe or flexible drainage pipe.

7. In extreme situations, you may have to install a drywall at the end of the perforated pipe, which will disperse the rainwater into the ground.