Colorado Springs, CO · El Paso County

Downspouts & Foundation Drainage in Colorado Springs

The short answer

Downspouts & Foundation Drainage in Colorado Springs, CO: Outlet capacity, downspout placement and discharge that actually gets water away from the foundation rather than three feet from it.

What it costs: An added downspout with standard extension typically runs 150 to 350 dollars depending on height and run. Buried drain lines are priced by length and by what has to be dug through, and we quote those after looking at the grade.
What is included: Adding outlets where run length or roof area demands more capacity; Upsizing two by three downspouts to three by four where volume requires it; Extensions and elbows discharging four to six feet out, further on adverse grade; Buried drain lines with pop-up emitters where surface extensions would cross a walkway; Splash blocks and grade correction at discharge points; Rerouting discharge away from walkways that ice over in winter.
Where we work: Colorado Springs and the surrounding El Paso County, including Briargate, Rockrimmon, Old Colorado City.
Getting a quote: Free and no obligation. Call (719) 963-7440 or request a quote online.

Downspouts are the part of the system that most often fails on design rather than on condition. A perfectly clean gutter with one undersized outlet at the far end of a forty foot run will overflow in any real storm, and the water it does carry frequently gets dumped straight against the foundation it was supposed to protect. Both are fixable and neither requires replacing the gutters.

What this means in Colorado Springs specifically

Where the water has to go

The city grades steeply off the foothills, so lots on the west side frequently fall toward the house or across a neighboring property, and a four foot downspout extension does nothing on that kind of slope. Expansive clay soils are widespread here, and they swell when they get wet against a foundation. Getting roof water genuinely away from the house matters more in this soil than it would in sand.

What the roofs are like here

Overwhelmingly asphalt shingle, with a visible shift toward Class 4 impact-resistant products as insurers push discounts for them. Older west-side homes carry more wood shake conversions and low-slope sections added over porches. Newer east-side subdivisions are almost uniformly architectural asphalt from the same handful of builders and the same era, which means whole streets reach end of life together.

Snow load and ice damming

The Springs itself sits below the heaviest snow band. Storms tend to come wet and heavy in March, then melt within days, so sustained load is less of a concern than the freeze-thaw cycling that works at flashing and shingle edges. Ice damming shows up mostly on north-facing eaves over poorly insulated attics.

Colorado Springs sits at approximately 6,035 feet.

What is included

Adding outlets where run length or roof area demands more capacity
Upsizing two by three downspouts to three by four where volume requires it
Extensions and elbows discharging four to six feet out, further on adverse grade
Buried drain lines with pop-up emitters where surface extensions would cross a walkway
Splash blocks and grade correction at discharge points
Rerouting discharge away from walkways that ice over in winter

How we do it

1
Work out where the water is concentrating
Roof planes funnel into valleys and valleys funnel into short stretches of gutter. That is where capacity is needed, and it is rarely evenly spaced along the eave.
2
Look at the grade before choosing discharge
On a lot that falls back toward the house, a four foot extension moves the problem four feet and no further. Grade decides whether you need a longer surface run or a buried line.
3
Fit and secure
Downspouts strapped properly to the wall, elbows sealed, extensions fixed rather than laid loose where a mower will move them.
4
Test under load
Water through the system, and we watch the discharge point to confirm it is running away from the house rather than pooling.

What it costs

An added downspout with standard extension typically runs 150 to 350 dollars depending on height and run. Buried drain lines are priced by length and by what has to be dug through, and we quote those after looking at the grade.

We quote Colorado Springs properties before starting, and the number you hear is the number you pay. If something on site changes the scope, you hear about it before we do the work rather than on the invoice.

Neighborhoods we serve in Colorado Springs

Briargate, Rockrimmon, Old Colorado City, Broadmoor, Powers, Stetson Hills, Cheyenne Cañon, and everywhere else in Colorado Springs.

Fully Insured

Free Photo-Documented Inspection

Written Scope Before You Sign

Locally Owned & Operated

Downspouts questions from Colorado Springs

How far from the house should downspouts discharge?

Four to six feet is the working minimum, and more on lots that grade back toward the foundation. The purpose is to get water outside the backfill zone around the foundation, which is looser and more permeable than undisturbed soil and will happily carry water straight down to your footing.

Are buried downspout lines a good idea?

Where a surface extension would cross a walkway, a driveway or a lawn you have to mow, yes. They need a fall of their own and a pop-up or daylight outlet, and they need to be rodded out occasionally like any drain. A buried line with no fall is worse than no line at all, because it holds water and freezes.

Why does my basement get damp only in heavy rain?

Very often this is a gutter and downspout problem before it is a foundation problem, and it is worth eliminating first because it is dramatically cheaper. A roof sheds an enormous volume in a short storm, and if that volume lands at the foundation it goes down the backfill. Fix the discharge and see what remains.

Can you add downspouts without replacing the gutters?

Yes, in most cases. Cutting in an additional outlet and running a new downspout is a common and straightforward correction, and it is usually the cheapest meaningful fix for a run that overflows.

Related work in Colorado Springs

Often booked together

Downspouts in nearby communities

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