The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · Central Mid-South
Loess soil, crawlspaces and downspout drainage in Germantown, Collierville and Cordova
Much of eastern Shelby County sits on loess, a deep, fine silt loam that sheds water fast, washes easily and in places sits on a dense layer that slows water down. Here is why roof water belongs well away from the house, and how we get it there.
- Owned and Run in Memphis
- Every Downspout Traced
- Underground Drainage Available
- Loess silt loam on the uplands, per USDA
- Fragipan in soils like the Loring series
- Runoff rated medium to very high for Memphis series
The Brothers That Just Do Gutters
Central Mid-South
- Every downspout traced to where it lets out
- Gutters sized for hard Mid-South rain
- Extensions, moved downspouts or buried lines
- A written plan before any digging
Quick answer
Why does downspout water matter so much on loess soil around Memphis? Much of the upland ground in Germantown, Collierville and Cordova is loess silt loam. USDA soil descriptions rate the Memphis series for medium to very high runoff and give the Loring series a fragipan with moderately slow permeability. Silt washes out when water is concentrated on it, and water that soaks in can slow above that dense layer near a foundation or crawlspace. So every downspout should let out well away from the house, through an extension, a moved downspout or an underground line. Call (901) 763-8330 for a free written estimate, or book online.
Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service official soil series descriptions for the Memphis series and the Loring series.
The ground
What loess soil is, and what the USDA says about it
Loess is silt that the wind laid down long ago in a thick blanket over the uplands east of the Mississippi River. Two soil series formed in it describe a lot of the ground our crews dig in.
| Soil series | What the USDA description says | What it means for your downspouts |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | Very deep, well drained, moderately permeable silt loam formed in loess, on uplands and terraces, with medium to very high runoff | Water that hits the surface hard tends to run off it, carrying silt along, so a downspout dumping at the wall can cut a channel or wash out a bed |
| Loring | Moderately well drained silt loam formed in loess, with a fragipan; moderate permeability above the fragipan and moderately slow permeability in it. Its type location is in Shelby County | Water that soaks in moves down until it reaches the dense layer, then slows, so roof water put at the foundation can linger right where the crawlspace and footings are |
Soil changes from lot to lot, and the backfill against a house is disturbed ground. Still, the pattern holds: fine silt that moves when water is concentrated on it, often over a slow layer. Neither is a good place to drop a whole roof’s water.
Sources: USDA NRCS official series descriptions, Memphis series and Loring series.
What goes wrong
Three ways loess and roof water work against a house
One downspout puts a lot of water on one spot in a Mid-South downpour.
- It washes out.Silt particles are fine and light. A downspout that lets out on bare soil or mulch carves a rut, strips a planting bed and can undercut the edge of a walk, a step or a patio over a few seasons.
- It turns slick.Wet silt loam is muddy and slippery. Water dumped beside a path, a driveway or the crawlspace door keeps that ground soft and slick long after the storm has passed.
- It lingers below.Where a fragipan sits under the topsoil, water soaking in can slow above it and spread sideways, which is how roof water at the wall ends up as a damp crawlspace or wet footings.
Watch for a bare channel under a downspout, mulch on the lawn, silt splashed on the brick or a crawlspace that smells damp for days after rain. A leaking seam or sagging run can drop water in the same place, so gutter repair may be part of the fix. After a big storm, our Storm Check shows what hit near your town.
Where the water should go
Extensions, moved downspouts and underground drainage
A Solutionist looks at the slope of the yard and where water can safely go, then picks one of these.
| Option | Works well when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Downspout extension | The yard falls away from the house and there is open lawn beside the downspout | Extensions get kicked, mowed over or knocked loose in storms, and then the water lands at the wall again |
| Moved or added downspout | Another corner of the house has better ground below it, or one outlet is carrying too much roof | Each new drop needs a clear path, and a long run may need a second outlet |
| Underground drainage | The lot is flat, tips toward the house, or the outlet sits beside a walk, driveway or patio | A buried line needs the gutter above it working and guarded, or debris washes in and clogs it |
On loess, an underground line is often the cleanest answer because it lets you choose exactly where the water comes back to the surface, well away from the foundation and the crawlspace. Our underground gutter drainage service ties downspouts into buried pipe that lets the water out farther out in the yard, and we check and clear existing lines too. We fix the gutter first, and pair the line with BroGuard micro-mesh so leaves and sweetgum balls stay out of the pipe. Compare gutter guards, and see our leaf season guide for what falls when.
Water sitting by your foundation after storms? Call (901) 763-8330
Request a Free EstimateGutter sizing
Drainage starts with a gutter big enough for Mid-South storms
A gutter that overflows drops water along the whole wall, and no downspout plan can fix that.
Memphis gets about 55 inches of rain in an average year, spring is the wettest stretch, and a summer thunderstorm can put down an inch of rain in under an hour. When a run is too small for the roof above it, water sheets over the front edge in exactly the storms that matter, straight onto the silt at the foundation.
We form 5 inch, 6 inch and 7 inch seamless gutters on site and size them run by run. Six inch with 3 by 4 inch downspouts goes where a valley, steep plane or upper roof sends extra water to one stretch. See how we choose on our gutter sizes page, and read our spring storm prep guide for the rain numbers.
- More downspouts on long runs, so no single outlet floods one spot
- Downspouts sized to match the gutter they drain
- Overflow spots traced to a clog, a sag or an undersized run
- Soft fascia board replaced before new gutters go up
Services
Keeping roof water off Mid-South foundations
One local team from the roof edge to the place the water leaves your yard.
Downspouts tied into buried pipe that lets water out well away from the house.
Learn more Gutter InstallationNew seamless runs with every downspout placed where the ground can carry water off.
Learn more Gutter CleaningGutters emptied by hand and downspouts flushed clear, so water gets to the outlet.
Learn more Maintenance ProgramScheduled visits so gutters, downspouts and drain openings stay clear all year.
Learn more Under-Deck CeilingsA dry patio under a raised deck, with its water routed away from the house.
Learn more Free estimateBook a Drainage CheckShow us where water sits after a storm and get a written plan. No pressure, no obligation.
Schedule a visit or call (901) 763-8330Loess Soil and Drainage Questions, Answered
Much of the upland ground there is loess, a wind-laid silt. USDA descriptions of the Memphis and Loring soil series, both found in the area, describe silt loam formed in loess more than 4 feet thick. Soil varies by lot and the fill against a foundation is disturbed, but silt loam is the right picture for most yards.
A fragipan is a dense, brittle layer below the topsoil. The USDA describes the Loring series as having one, with moderately slow permeability in it. Water that soaks in near your house can slow down above that layer instead of draining away, so roof water dropped at the foundation tends to linger near the crawlspace.
Often, if the yard slopes away and the extension stays attached. Extensions get bumped, mowed over and knocked loose in storms, and then the water lands at the wall again. Where the lot is flat or tips toward the house, an underground line that lets the water out farther into the yard is usually the more lasting fix.
Yes. We tie downspouts into buried pipe that lets the water out well away from the house, and we check and clear existing lines. We start at the gutter, because a buried line cannot help a gutter that overflows above it, and we recommend a mesh guard so debris stays out of the pipe. Call (901) 763-8330 for a free estimate.
Silt loam is fine and light, and the Memphis soil series is rated for medium to very high runoff. When a downspout lets out on bare soil or mulch, the concentrated stream carries silt away and cuts a channel. Moving that outlet, extending it or taking it underground stops the washout.
It depends on how much roof drains to each run. Five inch fits many simple sections. Six inch with 3 by 4 inch downspouts handles valleys, steep planes and lower roofs that catch an upper roof. Seven inch is for very large roof areas and commercial buildings. A Solutionist measures each run and writes the sizes into your estimate.
Service area
Communities we serve
Every community on this list is inside our service area and gets the same local crew, on-site seamless gutters and free written estimates. Call (901) 763-8330 or request a free quote and a Solutionist will come out.
Free drainage check
Where does your roof water end up?
A local Solutionist walks the roofline, traces every downspout to where it lets out and writes down a plan to carry the water clear of your foundation and crawlspace. The franchise belongs to Will Tashie, who runs it alongside Trace Cisneros, his cousin and partner. Meet the team or ask about payment options.
Serving Germantown, Collierville, Cordova and Memphis from our Shelby Oaks Drive office · The Brothers That Just Do Gutters · (901) 763-8330
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Locally Owned & Operated · Memphis, Tennessee · Serving Memphis, Germantown, Collierville and Cordova