Water damage affects around 14,000 people in America daily. Whether it comes as a damp crawl space or basement flooding, water damage can make an expensive and stressful impact on homeowners. Downspout extensions, however, can help protect your home from runoff water, prevent mold accumulation, and preserve your home’s foundation. Hire a professional to install these extensions and other waterproofing measures to boost your home’s safety and longevity.
Drainage & Erosion Solutions professionals have the skills and expertise to find solutions for water damage and erosion around your home. We’re an award-winning waterproofing, drainage, and erosion service provider that helps Northern Virginia homeowners. Our firm designs and builds customized solutions for residential and commercial properties. Call (703) 534-1949 for water management solutions that work!
Below, we describe downspout extensions’ function, explain their necessity, and highlight their many benefits:
What Are Downspout Extensions?
Gutter downspout extensions are attachments added to gutter downspouts to channel water away from your home’s foundation. They’re typically made from corrugated flex pipes or PVC pipes installed underground. By allowing rainwater to drain in a controlled manner, downspout extensions prevent water from pooling around your home’s perimeter.
When Are They Necessary?
Rain gutter downspout extensions protect your home and basement from the effects of flooding. A conventional downspout deposits precipitation around home foundations, where a property’s grading should direct the water to drain away. However, landscape shifts and runoff erosion can eradicate effective grading and allow water to pool.
Downspout extensions help to combat this effect by depositing water several feet away from home foundations. You should hire a professional to install downspout extensions if you notice such indicators as:
- Pooling or standing water
- A loss of property grading
- Foundation cracks
- Dead patches in the yard
- Basement flooding or increased humidity
- Crawl space moisture
What Are Downspout Extensions’ Benefits?
- Help Gutters and Downspouts Function Properly
Since they connect to gutters, downspout extensions help prevent precipitation from seeping under your roof or home siding where water damage can occur. When moisture penetrates roofing or siding, it can cause mold and structural damage that deteriorates your home’s interior and exterior. They prevent mold, mildew, and structural issues in your foundation.
Moreover, downspout extensions prevent excess runoff from pooling onto your deck, patio, and other outdoor structures. Excessive pooling can damage these surfaces, like it does housing, and necessitate expensive replacements.
- Protect Home Foundations
The best downspout extensions will preserve your home’s foundation. After gutters collect precipitation, the extensions deposit it from your foundation. You can have that water directed toward a downward slope, French drain, swale, or other water management system—speak to a Drainage & Erosion specialist about your options.
Water deposited around your foundations will pool and drain into the soil, which leads to hydrostatic pressure and cracks concrete foundations. If water gets into your basement, it can damage the inner walls and create air quality issues.
- Save Money
Prepare your home for the rainy season. Downspout extension installation saves you time and money in the long run by protecting your most valuable asset—your home. Folks in a rainy climate will find that downspout extensions shield their home and help them avoid water cleanup costs.
Expert Downspout Extension Installation in Northern Virginia
If you’ve been struggling with water pooling or flooded basements, have the Drainage & Erosion team install downspout extensions onto your gutters. We help Northern Virginia homeowners with numerous services, from waterproofing to French drain installation and regrading. Call (703) 534-1949 to learn more about our drainage installation process today!
