How to Install Gutter Splash Blocks
Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day. At least wait until the homeowner installs guttering on the house. Having a complete gutter system, including splash blocks, prevents standing water that can damage the foundation or result in damp walls in your basement. It's not enough to have a gutter system for rain runoff from the roof. You have to provide for the downward flow through the downspout. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Determine the type of splash block you want to use. Some splash blocks direct the flow in a straight line from the end of the downspout and away from the house. Others have a broader base and disperse the rain over a wider area; for areas with frequent heavy rains, a splash block with a broader base prevents a hole in the yard at the end of the splash block.
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Buy enough splash blocks for your house. You should have one for each downspout.
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Install the splash block directly under the downspout. It should carry water at least 3 feet away from the house.
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Adjust the angle of the splash block to ensure it slopes down and away from, not toward, the house. You may need to do some digging. The ideal angle is a slope of 6 inches in 10 feet.
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5
Check the downspout when you're cutting grass. Avoid running over it with the mower, as this can drive it into the ground and change the angle.
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Redo the earth beneath the splash block, if necessary. The weight of the block and the pounding from the rain will cause it to settle, changing the angle.
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