Downspouts: The #1 Cause of Slab Settlement You Can Fix This Weekend
A five-foot downspout extension prevents more concrete failure than any other single maintenance step. Here's why — and how to do it right.
Roof water is the single largest source of concentrated water near a residential foundation. In Spokane's rainy months, a single downspout can dump hundreds of gallons a day directly against the soil.
That soil erodes, compacts, and eventually leaves voids under nearby patios, walkways and driveway aprons. Extend the downspout at least four to six feet from the foundation — buried drain, splash block or a hinged flip-up extension all work — and you eliminate the most common cause of settlement in one afternoon.
Pair the extension with proper slope: soil should fall at least six inches over the first ten feet from the foundation. Water that runs away can't undermine your concrete.
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Lift it — don't replace it.
Concrete leveling saves the slab you already have, at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
- Often less costly and less disruptive than tear-out and replacement
- Repair before replacement when appropriate
- Modern concrete lifting methods
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