Do Underground Downspout Extensions Work in Winter?
In Minnesota, underground gutter extensions can be a great solution for certain types of outdoor drainage problems. However, if they are not designed, installed and cared for correctly they can end up causing some potentially major issues. The primary goal of underground downspout drainage piping is to get water safely away from the foundation. Doing this in Minneapolis and St. Paul requires us to keep freezing issues in mind when building these systems. When these pipes freeze, they will almost certainly become blocked, which can lead to water backing up and overflowing near homes foundation and/or causing ice problems on a walkway or driveway. Water freezing inside of the drainage pipe can crack the pipe, allowing water to leak out underground through the break....which is not good. Here are some of the the factors that our designers keep in mind when planning underground downspout drainage systems in MN.
Underground downspout drainage systems are almost never designed to be entirely below the 42" frost line in the Minneapolis and St. Paul (due to cost and other discharge challenges). But...it doesn't rain in the winter in MN so who cares right? Well, for the most part that's correct. However, every spring in MN the snow and ice on the roof melt does some melting during the day and then refreezes as the temperature drop back down at night. We also regularly get large late winter/early spring rain events that take place while the ground is still frozen. So in MN, we need to be aware of the challenges that freezing temps, frozen ground and snow cover can cause for our underground drainage pipe systems.
Find out if an underground downspout drainage system will help solve your drainage problems, by contacting KG Landscape Today.
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