Downspout Installation & Repair in Decatur, AL

One downspout for every 35-40 linear feet of gutter run, maximum. Many Decatur homes have downspouts 50-60+ feet apart — way too far for our rainfall. Given the importance of keeping water away from your foundation here, we often recommend adding downspouts rather than maxing out the acceptable spacing.

3x4 inch, not the standard 2x3. The 3x4 size handles roughly twice the flow rate — critical during 2-inch-an-hour storms. The upgrade costs maybe 10-15% more and prevents the backup overflow that sends water toward your foundation. In Decatur's high water table environment, this is a no-brainer upgrade.

Minimum 6 feet. Better: 10+ feet. Best: underground drains routing water 20+ feet away to a storm drain or property edge. Those 18-inch splash blocks that came with your builder-grade gutters? Basically decorative in Decatur. They deposit water right in the zone where it causes foundation problems.

In Decatur, absolutely yes. Your water table is naturally high — often 3-4 feet below foundations during wet periods. Adding roof runoff to that saturated soil creates hydrostatic pressure against your basement walls. Extensions or underground drains aren't optional here. They're essential.

Yes — usually in 30-45 minutes per location if your gutters are in decent shape. Adding downspouts is often the fastest, cheapest way to fix overflow problems. Before you spend $2,000+ on new gutters, let us look at whether additional downspouts would solve the issue for a few hundred dollars.