# Thoughts on putting rock under gutter downspot?



## Gibby

These things under our downspots are made of plastic and just float away(found one in neighbors yard this weekend) and then it washes away the mulch then the sand. I am thinking about just doing about 6" wide and 3" deep from the downspot to the edge of the yard, thoughts?

And why yes that is my drop line and fiber line for internet showing!!!


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## Gibby

Dang... just noticed I should have put something in that valley for reference on how deep it has got.


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## Ware

Have you considered piping away from the mulched beds and using pop-up emitters?


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## gatormac2112

Ware said:


> Have you considered piping away from the mulched beds and using pop-up emitters?


That's what I had done in my front yard


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## Gibby

Ware said:


> Have you considered piping away from the mulched beds and using pop-up emitters?


I like that idea!

Question though, why not use the pipe and drill a bunch of holes in it, instead of the pop-up emitters at the end?

I do have one area that the downspot is only 1 foot from the driveway so no easy way to run a pipe ;(


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## kevreh

Ware said:


> Have you considered piping away from the mulched beds and using pop-up emitters?


That's the right way. Dumping water next to your foundation can lead to problems in a basement or under the slab.


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## stotea

Gibby said:


> Question though, why not use the pipe and drill a bunch of holes in it, instead of the pop-up emitters at the end?


Why not both? Having only holes likely wouldn't allow water to escape quickly enough.



Gibby said:
 

> I do have one area that the downspot is only 1 foot from the driveway so no easy way to run a pipe ;(


Got a pic?


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## Colonel K0rn

The best thing is going to be to install a catch basin underneath the downspout, then route the water away with either a solid pipe, or EZ Flo pipe, which will allow it to percolate into the soil away from the house. You can install a pop up emitter at the end. I just spent about 2 hours watching videos on this website, there's a host of information that you can learn about stormwater runoff management, something that I'm very sorely in need of for my whole lot. You could install a good solution to eliminate this problem in a very short timeframe (2-3 hours tops) pretty inexpensively. Go with the EZ Flo product, you'll thank me later.

https://www.ndspro.com/home-drainage


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## Gibby

stotea said:


> Gibby said:
> 
> 
> 
> Question though, why not use the pipe and drill a bunch of holes in it, instead of the pop-up emitters at the end?
> 
> 
> 
> Why not both? Having only holes likely wouldn't allow water to escape quickly enough.
> 
> 
> 
> Gibby said:
> 
> 
> 
> I do have one area that the downspot is only 1 foot from the driveway so no easy way to run a pipe ;(
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Got a pic?
Click to expand...

Front left corner


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## Gibby

Colonel K0rn said:


> The best thing is going to be to install a catch basin underneath the downspout, then route the water away with either a solid pipe, or EZ Flo pipe, which will allow it to percolate into the soil away from the house. You can install a pop up emitter at the end. I just spent about 2 hours watching videos on this website, there's a host of information that you can learn about stormwater runoff management, something that I'm very sorely in need of for my whole lot. You could install a good solution to eliminate this problem in a very short timeframe (2-3 hours tops) pretty inexpensively. Go with the EZ Flo product, you'll thank me later.
> 
> https://www.ndspro.com/home-drainage


To do just one high capacity one is $908.

I think I have 6 or 7 downspouts. No way I am spending $6,000+


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## kevreh

Considering that its nowhere near a basement, and so close to the driveway, I would just do a little riverbed with rock. Maybe some landscape fabric under it. The rock will prevent wash out of the dirt.


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## Colonel K0rn

Picture puts things into perspective. Would you consider putting a downpipe extension, or do you want the discharge where it's at?


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## Gibby

Colonel K0rn said:


> Picture puts things into perspective. Would you consider putting a downpipe extension, or do you want the discharge where it's at?


Well who wouldn't want a rain water collection to be able to use for irrigation 

Not sure where/how to do the downpipe extension other than putting and elbow up at the roof and then having it go somewhere else.

All the other ones I could definitely pipe out into the yard and put in a pop-up emitter. Just need to price some PVC and couplers.


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## stotea

Gibby said:


> stotea said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Gibby said:
> 
> 
> 
> Question though, why not use the pipe and drill a bunch of holes in it, instead of the pop-up emitters at the end?
> 
> 
> 
> Why not both? Having only holes likely wouldn't allow water to escape quickly enough.
> 
> 
> 
> Gibby said:
> 
> 
> 
> I do have one area that the downspot is only 1 foot from the driveway so no easy way to run a pipe ;(
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Got a pic?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Front left corner
Click to expand...

I am/was in a very similar situation. I opted to have the downspout empty into a catch basin, pipe underneath the sidewalk, and terminate about 20 feet away with a pop-up emitter. The only thing I wish I would have done differently was bury the pipe below the frost line and/or run a heating coil/cable through it, as it fills with ice in the winter.


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## Colonel K0rn

This is the gutter downspout extension that I was speaking of. You attach it to the end of the downspout, and direct the water toward where you want it to flow. It appears your driveway is sloped away from the house? It's available in brown and black too. Brown would blend in with the pine straw.


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## Rackhouse Mayor

Ware said:


> Have you considered piping away from the mulched beds and using pop-up emitters?


I just did this in March. I don't regret it one bit.


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## social port

In my front yard I have tubing that runs underground from the gutters to the lawn. The water discharges into the lawn. The problem with this method is that this area of the lawn stays pretty wet. The grass there does not thrive, and I suspect this is related to the excess water.


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