Downspouts and meltwater drainage
Getting rain and spring melt away from the basement without turning the driveway into a rink.
Downspout and meltwater drainage work moves the water your gutters collect, from summer storms and from spring melt, far enough from the house that it doesn't end up in the basement. In the Wausau area, it also means choosing where water lands so it doesn't refreeze into ice on walks, steps and driveways.
What's involved?
- Extensions. Longer leaders that carry water past beds and away from the foundation.
- Larger downspouts. 3-by-4-inch downspouts that clog and freeze shut less easily.
- Re-routing. Moving a downspout so it doesn't empty onto a walk or drive.
- Buried lines. Solid pipe to an outlet farther out, sloped so it drains.
- Splash blocks. Simple pads that spread water and stop erosion.
Signs you need better drainage
- Water in the basement during spring melt or heavy rain
- Ice sheets on walks or drives below a downspout
- Soil washed away at the base of a downspout
- A downspout emptying right at the foundation
- Buried lines that back up or freeze
Why it matters here
Wausau's roofs hold a winter's worth of snow, 64.3 inches in a normal year by the State Climatology Office's count, and when it melts, much of it comes off the roof over a few warm days while the ground is still frozen and can't soak it up. Then June brings the wettest month of the year. Water that empties at the foundation in either season looks for a way into the basement.
What affects the cost?
- Number of downspouts and how far the water needs to go
- Extensions versus trenching and buried pipe
- Walks, drives and patios in the way
- Utility locates through Diggers Hotline
We don't set prices. The installer looks at the lot and quotes the work.
Extension or buried line?
An extension is cheap and easy, but it gets plowed, mowed and kicked loose. A buried line is tidier and stays put, but it has to drain fully or it can freeze. Wisconsin requires notice to Diggers Hotline at least three days before digging. Keep leaves out of the system with gutter guards.
Communities we cover
Common questions
Do buried downspout lines freeze?
They can if water sits in them. Lines need steady slope so they drain, and a good outlet. Some installers disconnect or bypass buried lines in winter.
Where should a downspout drain in winter?
Onto ground that slopes away from the house and isn't a walk or drive, so the water doesn't refreeze where people step.
Do I need to call Diggers Hotline for a buried line?
Yes. Wisconsin law requires notifying Diggers Hotline at least three days before you excavate.
Related services
- Gutter guards and covers
- Ice dam and icicle control
- Heavy-duty seamless gutters
- Snow and ice damage repair
More background: Marathon County gutter guard guide.
Icicles, overflow or a gutter full of seeds?
Call and get connected with a local installer who works on Wausau-area roofs.