Water pooling up near the foundation
Puddles along the house after rain mean water is soaking the soil right against your basement walls. That adds pressure, moisture and, over time, cracks.
Fix: downspout extensions or a French drain →Louisville residential drainage
Why do I have puddles by my house?
Water pooling up near your foundation usually means your downspouts are dumping at the house. Every storm your roof sends hundreds of gallons to the same few feet of soil. We bury that water in solid pipe and release it well away from your home, before it finds your basement.
- Free on-site evaluation
- Written, upfront pricing
- No high-pressure sales
22 gal/minoff a 2,100 sq ft roof
5.5 gal/minat each of 4 downspouts
48.3"average yearly rain & snow in Louisville (NOAA 1991–2020)
623 galoff every 1,000 sq ft of roof in a 1-inch rain
6" / 10 ftthe grade fall residential code calls for next to your foundation
$0for your on-site evaluation and written quote
Problems we fix
Sound familiar?
Downspouts dumping at the house
A short elbow or splash block drops the whole roof's runoff a foot or two from the wall. We carry it underground and let it out 10 to 20+ feet away.
Fix: downspout extensions →Window wells filling with water
A window well with no drain fills like a bucket in heavy rain and pushes water through the basement window. A proper drain keeps it empty.
Fix: window well drains →60-second yard check
What are you seeing after it rains?
Tap everything that sounds familiar. We'll show how serious it looks and which fix usually solves it.
Services
Water management built for your lot
Downspout extensions, catch basins, window well drains and French drains, each designed around your home's layout, soil and slope. We don't just move water. We put it somewhere it can't come back.
Downspout extensions
Buried pipe carries roof water from each downspout across the yard to a pop-up emitter or approved outlet, with a steady fall the whole way. No more downspouts dumping at the house.
- Site evaluation of grade and soil
- Custom pipe layout for each downspout
- Clean trenching with minimal disturbance
- Backfill and sod restored
Catch basins
Low spots that hold water for days kill grass and send runoff toward the house. A catch basin at the low point collects surface water and pipes it somewhere it can drain.
- Basin set at the lowest point
- Solid pipe to a lower outlet
- Grate flush with the lawn
- Grade and grass restored
Window well drains
Window wells filling with water push it straight through basement windows. We install or upgrade wells with a drain tied into your exterior drain line.
- Assessment of existing wells
- New or upgraded well installation
- Drain at the bottom of the well
- Connection to the exterior drain line
French drains
When water seeps through the ground instead of running over it, a French drain catches it. A perforated pipe in a stone-filled trench collects the water and carries it away from the house.
- Trench along the wet area or uphill side
- Perforated pipe wrapped in filter fabric
- Washed stone to keep it flowing
- Outlet downhill, away from the house
How it works
From puddle to permanent fix
Straight answers and a written price before any digging starts.
Request
Send the form or call. Photos of the problem help us come prepared.
Free evaluation
We walk the property, check every downspout, the grade and the soil, and see where water wants to go.
Written quote
A clear plan and an upfront price. No pressure and no surprise add-ons.
Locate & install
We request Kentucky 811 utility marks, then trench, lay pipe on a steady fall, and backfill.
Flow test
We run water through every line before we leave so you see it come out the far end.
Roof runoff calculator
How much water is your roof sending at your foundation?
Each inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof makes about 623 gallons. Plug in your house and see where it all lands.
About your first-floor area plus the overhangs.
This storm, off your roof
1,308gallons
327gallons at each downspout
63,200gallons a year at Louisville's average rainfall
33bathtubs full (40 gal each)
Each square is one bathtub of water landing beside your house this storm.
Service area
Louisville born. Kentuckiana served.
Locally owned and based in Louisville. Check your ZIP code to see if we cover your street.
Kentucky
- Louisville
- St. Matthews
- Jeffersontown
- Middletown
- Lyndon
- Fern Creek
- Okolona
- Prospect
- Shively
- Valley Station
- Crestwood
- La Grange
- Mt. Washington
- Shepherdsville
- Simpsonville
Southern Indiana
- Jeffersonville
- Clarksville
- New Albany
- Sellersburg
- Floyds Knobs
Free estimate
Tell us about the water. We'll come look.
Three quick steps. We reply within one business day to set up your free on-site evaluation.
502-791-6076Call or text
contact@cardinaldrain.comSend photos any time
Louisville, KYServing Kentuckiana
Questions
Good questions homeowners ask
Why is water pooling up near my foundation?
Most of the time it's downspouts dumping at the house, combined with soil next to the foundation that has settled flat or toward the wall. Moving downspout water underground and out 10 to 20+ feet usually stops it. If water is seeping out of the ground itself, a French drain may be the better fix.
How far from the house should downspout water go?
Residential building code asks for the ground to fall at least 6 inches within the first 10 feet of the foundation. We aim well past that, usually 10 to 20 feet or more, to a spot where the water keeps moving away from your home and your neighbor's.
Why do my window wells keep filling with water?
Rain falls straight in, nearby downspouts splash into them, and water in the soil seeps through the sides. Without a drain at the bottom, the well holds that water against your basement window. A window well drain tied into an exterior line keeps it empty.
What's the difference between a French drain and a catch basin?
A catch basin collects water that runs over the surface and pools in a low spot. A French drain collects water moving through the soil, using perforated pipe in a stone-filled trench. Some yards need one, some need both. We'll tell you which at the free evaluation.
Will you tear up my yard?
Trenches are narrow. We cut and set aside the sod, lay the pipe, backfill, and put the sod back. Within a few weeks most people can't find the line.
Can my downspouts just tie into the sewer?
In Louisville, Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) works to keep roof water out of the sanitary sewer and runs a downspout disconnection program. We route water to your yard or another suitable outlet instead.
Do you check for buried utilities?
Yes. Kentucky law requires a Kentucky 811 locate request before digging, and we place one before every job so gas, electric and cable lines are marked first.
How much does it cost?
It depends on how many downspouts, how far the water needs to travel, and what's in the way. After the free evaluation you get a written price for the whole job before any work starts.