I was absolutely convinced I had a major drainage design problem…read more
My underground downspout lines drain to the street ditch, and after seeing water back up around a riser pipe, I was certain the issue was a site engineering flaw. In my mind, there were only a few possibilities: the lines needed to be re-pitched, the ditch connection needed to be lowered, or the whole system was somehow hydraulically inadequate. I had this drainage system installed just last fall, so the idea that it could already be clogged seemed impossible.
Enter A+ Gutters & Drains.
They came out the very same day I called. After I walked them through my highly sophisticated theory of grades, elevations, pitch, and drainage design, we headed to the discharge point at the street ditch.
The technician took one look and smiled.
"There really shouldn't be a glued-on end cap with a tight grill on it. These tend to back up and clog."
"No way. Not already," I replied.
"Would you like me to check?" he asked.
A few minutes later, after attempting to pry it off with a screwdriver, the cap ultimately had to be cut off with a Sawzall. What was waiting inside? Inches of roof shingle granules, debris, and enough gunk to completely prove my engineering theory wrong.
In about five minutes, A+ solved the mystery that I had mentally escalated into a full-scale drainage reconstruction project.
To their credit, they graciously cut off the other problematic caps as well and explained why they were destined to clog. No upsell. No unnecessary work. Just an honest diagnosis and a simple fix.
As I stood there processing the fact that my "catastrophic drainage failure" was really just a blocked outlet, the technician smiled and said, "Bring on the rain."
And with that, he was off.
Was my ego slightly bruised? Absolutely.
Did A+ save me from chasing an expensive problem that didn't actually exist? Also absolutely.
I only wish I had called them first.
From now on, A+ Gutters & Drains will be my first call for anything related to gutters, drainage, or water management. Fast response, honest expertise, and a team willing to save customers from their own overthinking. That's a combination that's hard to beat.