Downspouts and stormwater drainage

Downspout and stormwater work moves the water your gutters collect to a place where it can soak in or drain off safely, instead of piling up at the foundation. In Lancaster County, where much of the ground is limestone and prone to sinkholes, where that water lands is more than a basement question.

What does this work include?

• Extensions. Longer elbows and leaders that carry water past beds and walks.
• Bigger downspouts. 3-by-4-inch downspouts in place of 2-by-3 where runs overflow.
• Added outlets. An extra downspout on long runs or below valleys.
• Buried lines. Solid pipe that carries water underground to daylight at a safe spot.
• Splash blocks and pop-up emitters. Simple ways to spread water out at the end of a line.

Signs your downspouts aren't doing the job

• Water in the basement after storms, usually near one corner
• A bare, washed-out patch of lawn or mulch at a downspout
• A dip or depression forming near where water discharges
• Downspouts that empty onto a walk or driveway that ices in winter
• A buried line that bubbles up or backs into the gutter

Why does limestone ground change the plan?

Pennsylvania's geology booklet on sinkholes explains that storm water running off roofs and paved areas, when it's collected and sent to one spot over karst, can open up an underground drain. Warwick Township, which surrounds Lititz, says sinkholes are common in Lancaster County because of its limestone soil, and that runoff from rain spouts may need to be redirected to stop feeding one. The same booklet warns that moving the discharge point can just shift the problem to another part of your property or to a neighbor's. A good installer looks at where water goes after it leaves the pipe, not just at the pipe.

What about the Lancaster city stormwater fee?

Lancaster city charges a stormwater management fee based on impervious area, and roofs count. The city's credit program can reduce the fee by up to 50 percent for practices that manage stormwater, and its residential grant program supports rain gardens, permeable pavers and dry wells. If you're in the city and considering one of those, ask the city's stormwater staff before the downspout work is designed around it.

What changes the price?

• Number of downspouts and how far the water needs to travel
• Above-ground extensions versus trenching and buried pipe
• Hardscape in the way, like walks, patios and driveways
• Utility locates and how many lines cross the route
• Grading or a dry well at the outlet

We don't set prices. The installer you're connected with looks at the lot and quotes the work.

Simple extension or buried line?

If the yard slopes away from the house and there's open lawn, a longer extension may be all you need. If the downspout empties toward a walk, a neighbor's house or a low spot, a buried solid line to a better outlet makes more sense. Before any trenching, the installer must notify PA One Call at least three business days ahead.

Towns where we connect you

• Lancaster
• Manheim Township
• Lititz
• Millersville
• Ephrata

Related services

• Gutter guard installation
• Half-round and copper gutters
• Seamless gutter replacement
• Gutter and fascia repair

More background: Lancaster County gutter guard guide.