It’s wonderful that we have downspouts to protect our homes from heavy rains. But why does it have to come at the expense of destroying the lawn?
There are multiple stories about downspout killing grass. Which are all true, downspouts can damage your lawn, but only if the discharge is improperly managed.
Generally speaking, maintaining a fresh, healthy turf will be very tricky with so much water pouring on it.
This article will explain why grass struggles to survive in the presence of downspouts. As well as solutions for eliminating its impacts, so let’s get started!
Why Is the Downspout Killing Grass?
Downspouts can be a direct threat to your lawn because of the way they discharge water. They carry and disperse water from the gutter to the ground.
Because the water runoffs are concentrated in one area of the lawn and can be extremely heavy during pouring rain, this results in:
1 – Soil Oversaturation
If the area around the downspout is muddy and the plants are wilted, it’s most likely due to oversaturation.
An oversaturated soil has too much water but not enough air, particularly oxygen. When the soil is unable to breathe, the roots rot and the grass becomes susceptible to mold growth.
All of these anaerobic conditions can easily kill your grass and cause wilting or yellowing in your plants.
2 – Attracting Pests
If you don’t already know, seeing bugs hovering around your plant is one of the signs that you’re overwatering it.
The same thing happens as a result of standing water caused by oversaturation. Some pests require moisture to survive, so damp soil is like their ideal environment.
Then they draw in their larval juveniles. Those sneaky little larvae cause no direct damage to the grass leaves. Instead, they eat the root hairs and deprive the soil of essential nutrients.
Therefore, they can expedite the yellowing of your grass and increase brown patches.
3 – Water Erosion
This is a type of soil erosion caused by water. It’s common to see eroded soil at the end of a downspout. Why is that?
Simply put, water erosion occurs when water overflows the lawn and displaces the topsoil. That’s why erosion happens at a faster rate during harsh weather.
Because as the flow of water increases, more soil particles are washed away. If you’ve noticed eroding signs on your grass, don’t worry; there are many ways to restore its health.
4 Effective Methods to Protect Your Lawn From Downspouts
Here are four techniques to help you maintain the freshness of your turf around downspouts:
1 – Install Rain Barrels
Buying a rain barrel is one of the most basic and cost-effective ways to protect your lawn.
Rain barrels are basically containers that are placed beneath a downspout to collect water for later use.
Some people use the water to water their gardens, while others use it to wash their cars, and so on.
These barrels come in a variety of sizes, with residential barrels starting at 15 gallons and industrial barrels holding up to 5,000 gallons.
A rain barrel of 50 to 80 gallons will work just fine for most households. However, selecting the right size rain barrel for your home will be determined by a few factors.
Commercial rain barrels typically include a diverter kit to prevent overflowing. To put it another way, when the barrel fills up, the diverter redirects the water away from it.
2 – Add More Downspouts
Another low-cost option for reducing water concentration is to add several downspouts to the gutter.
As explained, the main issue with a single downspout is the accumulation of water and the intensity with which it comes out.
As a result of dividing the water flow into multiple downspouts, the drainage will be distributed rather than concentrated in a single area.
Moreover, the pressure with which the water is discharged will be much lower than if it came out of a single portal.
3 – Set Up an Underground Drain Pipe
Setting up underground drainage can be very successful in completely diverting drainage from the grass.
By connecting an underground drain pipe to the downspout, you automatically transfer water from the gutter to a location far away from your house.
Nonetheless, the cost of installing this underground system will vary from one household to another.
Because the price is determined by the type of yard you have, water lines, sewer drains, and digging force required.
4 – Insert a Catch Basin
Downspout catch basins are another method for transferring the water away from your home and turf.
In simple terms, it’s similar to an underground rectangular box placed beneath a downspout. This box collects water coming out from the downspout, and then discharges it far away via a pipe.
Residential catch basins typically range in size from 6 to 12 inches. One of their perks is that you can choose from a variety of grates based on what complements the design of your yard.
Is There an Alternative to Downspouts?
We understand how the appearance and upkeep of downspouts can be bothersome to some people.
Luckily, there are other options for your drainage system that you can explore. There is, however, one system that stands out.
Since it provides the ultimate protection for your house’s foundation and lawn by preventing any type of overflow in your yard:
French Drains
This drainage system is designed to keep water away from the house’s foundation. It essentially takes the form of a gravel-filled trench dug around the house.
Along with the gravel, there’s a perforated pipe that facilitates the transfer of water that has penetrated the gravel and away from the soil.
Aside from adding a lovely aesthetic to your yard, french drains are also simple to maintain.
Nevertheless, be aware that if not properly maintained, they can easily become clogged, resulting in overflow.
Aside from that, French drains are worthwhile. They can last between 30 and 40 years while increasing the value of your property.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining your lawn in top condition requires work that should be rewarded with a lush green look, not a swampy one. So, look into all of the fixes as well as the alternative we suggested.
Just remember, selecting any fix for your household will help save your turf as long as it’s properly installed and maintained.
We hope that by now, you no longer have concerns about downspout killing grass!
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.