When a gutter overflows, it isn’t good. Gutters are designed to channel stormwater runoff from your roof into your downspouts. But when there is a problem, the water will spill over the sides of your gutters. Read on to learn how you can prevent rainwater damage to your home.
A few of the consequences to gutter overflow are:
- a cracked foundation
- basement flooding
- fascia board rot
- stained or discolored siding
- landscape erosion
prevent rainwater damage
Now, for the details about how to prevent rainwater damage…
#1 Clean Out Your Gutters and Downspouts
At least twice each year, you need to climb up a ladder (or hire a professional) and remove the sludge, pine needles, twigs, and leaves. Furthermore, using a garden hose, run water through the gutters and downspouts. If there is a blockage, you may have to use a high-pressure sprayer to break it up.
prevent rainwater damage
#2 Install Gutter Guards
Generally speaking (though not always), it is important to cover your gutters with a product designed to keep solids out of the gutters. They are made from a variety of materials and different designs. While economical, many of the big box stores’ alternatives become plugged with debris due to the larger openings. And unless professionally installed gutter guards, they typically blow off the gutters during our Kansas high winds. Please check out our professionally designed and installed gutter guards. The cost of a permanent and superior product costs less than you may think.
prevent rainwater damage
#3 Check the Tilt and Pitch of Your Gutters
Check the slope of your gutters. If it’s flat, water will stand in the gutters and will not flow toward the downspouts. And if the slope is too steep, the water will splash over at the ends during heavy rain. Also, check your gutters’ pitch by using a level to make sure they aren’t tilting backward or forward.
prevent rainwater damage
# 4 Check Your Gutter Sizes
In homes with steep-pitched roofs, sometimes the existing gutters are too small to handle the volume of runoff that flows from the roof.
#5 Install Splash Blocks
Runoff water in roof valleys typically travels too fast to drain into gutters and will splash over and onto the ground. A splash block attaches at the corner of a gutter system, at the roof valley. This diverts water into the gutters. To install, drill holes into the splash guards and gutter, install rivets inside the holes, and permanently fasten the splash guard to your gutters.
prevent rainwater
