Q – I am having a house built for me and I am having an argument with my gutter guy.  He is using a splash board at the bottom of the downspouts and I want the water carried much further away.  How far should it go?

John in Alpharetta

A – Keeping water away from your house is a very important part of home design.  That includes proper guttering and proper slope of your landscape.

(This is, of course, assuming that we will have rain ever again.)

For example, by code your lot should be graded as to drain surface water away from foundation walls.  The grade away from foundation walls shall fall a minimum of 6 inches within the first 10 feet.

(If that is not possible, then drains or swales should be provided to ensure drainage.)

Water coming down your downspout, by code, should be carried a minimum of 5 feet from the foundation.  10 feet is even better.  That means your little splash boards at the bottom of the downspouts are not enough by code to effectively carry the water away from your foundation.

I’m not to hip on using the buried black piping with the holes in it either.  Aesthetically it will look nicer, and it will operate well for the first little while.  But over time those clog with dirt and cease being effective.

I have the same issues with French drains that run along your foundation.  Ugh.

However, the best thing you can do for your foundation is to keep water away from it.  By making sure your house and landscape are built correctly you will help avoid headaches in the future.