Burying downspouts is an excellent way to channel roof drainage far away from your home’s foundation. This not only prevents long-term water damage to the house but also keeps your home’s siding and landscape looking fresh. The only downside to these underground spouts is that they can end up freezing in cold weather.
To help you avoid this common problem, we’ve compiled some ways you can keep buried gutter downspouts from freezing.
Should You Bury Downspouts?
Above-ground downspouts are great at redirecting water away from your home. But such downspouts can sometimes end up doing the opposite of what they’re supposed to do. Roof runoff exiting the downspout might not make it far enough from your house and could instead pool against the foundation.
Standing water slowly starts to seep through into the foundation and basement of your house where it can cause costly structural damage. It might also ruin your garden or flower beds and erode the yard.
This problem can easily be avoided by burying your downspouts. A buried spout lets water flow down from the roof gutters, through the downspout drain, and into the drain pipes underground. You can choose how far these drainage pipes run so your home and landscape are free from water pools and damage. These downspouts should be buried at least a foot deep in the ground.
You should also consider burying downspouts if you live in an area where the soil isn’t porous enough or there is uneven terrain. You can connect the spout to a French drain to improve overall yard drainage.
Why Do Buried Downspouts Freeze?
Ice begins to form in your buried downspouts when the temperatures start to dip to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below. And once it’s formed in one section, ice will spread rapidly to the remainder of the pipe.
The frost line is between 36 and 48 inches underground for cold climate areas, so if your downpipes are running near the surface, they will freeze. Frozen underground downspouts and pipes are a common issue in the South, mainly because sub-freezing temperatures aren’t considered in building practices there. This means that buried downpipes aren’t adequately insulated to work in low temperatures.
Also, downspout elbows are the most vulnerable area for icy buildups because they are easy places for water to settle. They become more susceptible to freezing when the downspouts are clogged and there’s no way for water to escape.
What Happens if Downspouts Freeze?
Frozen downspouts can have dangerous consequences. Some dangers of frozen downspouts include:
- When your downspouts freeze, generally starting from the elbows, the ice fills and backs up into the gutters. Solid blocks of ice and compacted snow formed in the gutters are pretty heavy and they put a lot of pressure and strain on your guttering system. This causes the gutter and downspouts to tear loose due to the added weight and expansion of the material. As the gutter pulls away from the house, it causes permanent damage to the roof and siding
- Since water, debris and snow have nowhere to go because of icy backups in gutters, they start to back up on your roof. This multiplies the chances of winter roof leaks and water damage.
- Ice dams or ice-clogged gutters lead to major moisture problems in the house. This includes mold, rust, rotting wood, and more.
- It’s going to be a mess when the ice starts to eventually melt. The damaged gutters and compromised roof structure might lead to more structural issues for the house.
How to Keep Buried Downspouts From Freezing?
If your underground downspouts have frozen, or you suspect that they might, here are a few ways you can both prevent and solve this problem. With these simple approaches, you can make sure that the gutters and downspouts have proper drainage throughout the winter.
Wrap a Heat Cable Around the Downspout
A self-regulating heating cable, also called a heat trace cable, is designed to automatically adjust the heat output according to the surface it’s placed on. It not only regulates the temperature but also prevents overheating.
Wrapping your downspout in a heat cable will prevent ice build-ups and snow mounds when it snows or rains in cold weather. As soon as the snow hits the roof, the self-limiting heating cable heats it and turns it into water that smoothly flows down the gutter and downspouts. You can also place the cord inside the downspout if possible.
If you’re trying to get rid of ice from your downspouts, do not place the cable inside it as ice will thaw slowly and form a pool of water which isn’t too great for heat cables. They are not supposed to be immersed in water and it’s always better to stay on the safe side. Instead, use a blow dryer to thaw the ice gradually.
Insulate the Pipes
Underground pipes running from your downspout need specialty insulation to protect them from the brutally cold weather. Standard home insulation doesn’t work for downspouts because they lose their insulating properties when they go underground. This is due to compression below ground that robs the insulation of its air barrier which is essential to shield against elements.
Also, make sure that your attic and crawl space are adequately insulated from the cold because if they’re not, they can get very cold. Severe temperature drops in such areas of your house will impact the temperatures of the pipe running underground even if they’ve been insulated.
Ensure a Proper Pitch
This solution has to do with the initial installation of your underground gutter extensions. You need to achieve the proper pitch in the drainage tubing, which is ¼” of drop per foot of pipe. The tubing needs to have the right pitch the entire length as it goes down so that the water doesn’t collect in the high/low areas and instead flows smoothly. Moving water doesn’t freeze easily.
You may also use lots of perforated drainage pipes at a length that’s adequately far from the house to let water drain as it moves down the tube. As some of the flowing water drains into the ground, it reduces the amount of water at the end of the pipe. A lower quantity of standing water means lesser chances of freezing.
Pour Hot Water Down the Downspout
Another way to thaw ice inside your downspouts and prevent it from forming is to pour some hot water down the spout. You’ll have to climb up a ladder and spout it from the top opening of the spout.
The hot water will break up the icicles and meltdown icy buildups in the system. Alternatively, you can also connect a hose to a hot water faucet and run it down the spout for a while.
Disconnect the Outlet
This is a preventative measure that you need to take at the time of designing the underground gutter downspouts or extensions. You need to design the underground gutter extension in a manner that allows you to detach the system anytime you need to.
However, the funnel can still allow water to collect in the pipes below. But in such arrangements, you can easily disconnect the outlet and attach a hose in the winter. If the tubing freezes, you will still be able to make the system work.
Apply Heat Tape
Heat tape looks like an extension cable and is designed to produce heat. It connects to a power source and heats your downspouts well enough to maintain an above-freezing temperature inside the buried downspout.
These heat tapes are compatible with metal, copper, plastic, and galvanized downspouts. So, you need to choose the appropriate tape according to the material on your downspouts.
Make sure you carefully read through the manufacturer’s instructions to position the tape around your downspout before you plug it in. Then, turn on the tape an hour or two before it’s expected to snow.
Winter Maintenance Tips for Buried Downspouts
Here are a few maintenance tips that will help you keep your underground downspouts safe from freezing during the winter and keep them in good shape:
- Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean from debris. This will not only prevent clogs but will also prolong the life of your guttering system.
- The downpipes should be diverting water at least 10 feet away from the foundation of your home on a downward slope. Look for mud or unexpected patches in your yard near the buried downspouts. It could be a sign of a leaking pipe underground.
- Don’t use force to remove ice buildup or break down the ice in frozen gutters and downpipes. Some people use hammers or other solid objects to break up the ice inside, but it will simply do more long-term harm than good. Use a consumer-grade heat gun or hot water to thaw the ice when needed.
- Detach the downspout from your rain barrel (if you have it) for the colder months and place it back when it gets warm again. Alternatively, you can also add a hose to the barrel to divert rain flow away from the home.
- Regularly check your downspouts for gaps, leaks, rust, holes, and leaks and get them fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there’s no need to take off the downspouts in winter because they help to safely direct melted ice and snow to the ground.
It’s a common misconception that pouring salt directly on ice effectively defrosts it. Although this hack might be successful in some cases, salt will corrode and damage your gutters over time. So, it’s better to stay away from salt for your frozen downspouts.
Leave It To A Pro, Maybe?
Now that we’ve explored ways you can keep your buried downspouts from freezing, you must know that some of them aren’t always safe for a DIY attempt. If you feel like you need a hand, call in our home improvement pros to guide you through.
Main Photo Credit: Aaron Volkening / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
