Downspout drain lines in Mobile, Alabama
In the rainiest city in the lower 48, the roof is the biggest source of water on most lots. Buried downspout lines get it away from the house.
Every downspout collects a whole section of roof and drops it in one place. In a Mobile summer storm, that can be a lot of water in a short time. If it lands next to the slab, the crawl space vents or the top of the driveway, that spot floods first. A buried line connects the downspout to solid pipe that carries the water out to a safe outlet.
Solid pipe or perforated?
Solid. The point of a downspout line is to move roof water away, not let it leak back into the soil beside the foundation. Perforated pipe belongs in a French drain. Smooth-wall pipe keeps water moving on flatter lots where there's only a little fall to work with.
Where can a line end?
- Pop-up emitters in a lower part of the yard that open when water arrives
- Curb outlets into the street gutter, where your city allows it
- Roadside ditches or swales that already carry neighborhood runoff
- Planted low areas on sandy, higher ground that can soak water in
Signs a line is clogged or crushed
- Water bubbling out at the downspout connection during rain
- Gutters overflowing even after a cleaning
- A soggy strip of lawn along the buried pipe route
- An emitter that stays closed in a heavy storm
Leaves, pine straw and big trees
Live oaks and pines are everywhere in Mobile's older neighborhoods, and their leaves, tassels and needles fill gutters fast. A leaf trap or gutter guard at each downspout keeps debris out of the buried line. Roots from large trees can crack or fill older pipe, so a camera inspection helps decide whether an existing line can be cleaned or should be replaced. If a new route would pass near a large tree, remember that heritage trees 18 inches or more in diameter in the City of Mobile need an Urban Forestry permit to remove.
The contractor sets the price after walking the lot, checking how much fall there is to an outlet and seeing what's buried in the way. We don't quote prices, and a number given over the phone before anyone has seen the yard is a guess at best.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Can downspouts connect to my sewer line?
No. Roof water belongs in the stormwater system, not the sanitary sewer. Ask the contractor to route it to a proper outlet.
How far from the house should roof water go?
Far enough that it can't run back toward the foundation. On flat lots that usually means a real outlet, not just a longer splash block.
Related services
- French drains
- Yard grading and swales
- Catch basins and channel drains
- Crawl space drains and sump pumps
More background: Mobile County drainage guide.
Back yard still a pond after the last Gulf storm?
Call the number above and get connected with an independent drainage contractor who works in Mobile County.