How We Redirected Downspout Water Away From This St. Louis Home
The drainage problem started with roof runoff being released too close to the foundation. Rather than having a defined underground route away from the home, water from the downspouts was entering the narrow area along the side of the house. The homeowners needed a way to move that runoff farther from the foundation while also leaving the area looking finished once the drainage work was complete.
The location of the drainage issue shaped how the project had to be approached. The work area runs between the brick foundation and an existing concrete driveway, so the new drainage route needed to fit within a relatively confined part of the property. Addressing the problem below grade allowed the downspouts to connect directly into underground piping instead of continuing to release water beside the home.
To create that route, the area alongside the foundation was excavated so the underground drainage components could be installed. Schedule 40 PVC pipe was then used to carry the connected downspout water through the property and away from the house. Moving the roof runoff underground created a defined path for the water rather than allowing each downspout to discharge at the foundation.
The completed project included:
- Excavation along the side of the home for the underground drainage route
- Downspouts connected into buried drainage piping
- Schedule 40 PVC pipe used to move roof runoff away from the house
- Drainage routed below grade alongside the existing foundation and driveway
- Restoration of the disturbed area after the underground installation
- Decorative rock installed along the finished foundation area
- Landscape lighting incorporated into the completed bed
- Completion in approximately two working days
Because much of a drainage installation is hidden when the work is finished, the excavation photos are an important part of this project story. They show the route that had to be opened beside the house before the PVC drainage system could be installed. Once the underground work was complete, the area could be closed back in without leaving exposed piping or an unfinished strip of soil along the foundation.
The final surface treatment was also part of making the project practical for the homeowner. Decorative rock created a defined bed between the home and driveway, while the small landscape lights helped integrate the restored area with the rest of the property. The drainage system remains below grade, but the finished side yard looks intentional rather than like an area that was recently excavated.
The completed project changed how roof runoff is handled at this St. Louis home. Instead of downspouts releasing water immediately beside the foundation, the connected PVC system now gives that water a planned route away from the house. At the same time, the area disturbed during installation was restored into a cleaner, easier-to-maintain section of the property.