As we welcome in a very rain-soaked Junuary (June + January = Junuary) I have seen more than a few home repair issues related to rainwater, gutters and drainage.
In short, moving rainwater off your roof and away from your foundation prevents a multitude of problems, from dryrot to mold. Over the long term, gutter maintenance is one of the simplest things you can do to protect and maintain you home
FACT: Gutter Maintenance is not Rocket Science
Gutters and downspouts work hard to protect your house from moisture damage. If gutters leak or downspouts are clogged, water can spill out and accumulate near foundations, soaking the soil and causing foundation walls to settle. In worst-case scenarios, moisture-laden soil presses in on basement walls, causing bulging and cracking. Water can even be forced inside by means of hydrostatic pressure.
Keeping gutters and downspouts in good condition requires regular maintenance. Local contractors doing this chore twice each year — in spring and in the fall. Yes, it can be messy, and you might get dirty. But it’s definitely worth it.
Steps To Clean Your Gutters
Clean leaves, sticks, needles and seeds from gutters, scooping out debris with a garden trowel or gloved hand.
Don’t try to remove the debris with a hose because that may cause downspouts to clog.
Remove the pasty goo made up from the tiny granules from asphalt roofing shingles that have mixed with dirt and water.
Flush out residual matter, using a garden hose.
To clean downspouts, turn on the hose full blast and thread it into the drain opening.
Check gutters after flushing for pools that indicate low spots. Gutters should be sloped about one vertical inch for every 15 to 20 horizontal feet so that they drain properly. Adjust gutters as necessary.
Repairing Gutters
Install new hangers to hold gutters firmly in place. Typically, gutters are attached with straps, hangers or long nails inserted through metal collars — a system called “spikes and ferrules.”
Don’t bother replacing straps, renailing old spikes or adding new spikes. Because you must pry up roofing materials to replace straps, it’s easier to make repairs using individual gutter hangers with self-tapping screws, available at home improvement centers.
Also replace spikes with gutter screws and matching ferrules. “Over time a spike is always going to push out,” says Gibson. “A gutter screw really has holding power.”
Fix Leaks
Fix leaks at seams with silicone sealer. Although patch kits are available for repairing rust holes in steel gutters, the patches will prove to be only temporary. “If you’ve got rust holes in steel gutters,” says Gibson, “they’re pretty much finished. It’s better to get new ones.”
Replacing Gutters
If you need to replace your gutter, Tom Wood of Emerald Gutter Services in Eugene, Ore., says steel gutters generally perform better than aluminum or vinyl. “Aluminum gutters move too much during weather changes,” says Wood. “The expansion and contraction causes nails and screws to loosen up. And vinyl comes in 10-foot lengths, meaning there are lots of seams that need to be sealed.”
Both steel and aluminum can be installed without intermittent seams, and the best steel gutters feature baked-on enamel finishes with 40-year warranties. According to Wood, expect to pay about $450 for a professional to install new gutters and downspouts on a typical two-story suburban house.
Downspouts, Splashblocks and More
Gutters are designed to channel the water off your roof. Downspouts are designed to channel the water away from your home. Unfortunately, the water isn’t always carried far enough away from the home, and disaster occurs.
If heavy rains and short downspouts are causing the water to pool near the base of your home, then a longer downspout is in order. In fact, if water is seeping in through the foundation of your home already, this is a problem that you want to correct immediately. Water seepage can lead to other problems such as mold, mildew and dry rot.
Fortunately, extending the downspout is an easy and simple remedy. First, you will need to make a few purchases and gather a few tools.
Tools and Materials at a Glance
Gutter downspout pipe
Galvanized gutter elbow
Splash block
Hacksaw
Tape measure
Swing-up gutter elbows (if desired)
Instructions for Extending the Downspout
Purchase a new length of downspout pipe that matches your downspout’s appearance. Measure the diameter of your existing downspout to make sure that you get the right size. Also, purchase any of the following that you have decided to use: galvanized gutter elbow, splash block, and swing-up gutter elbow. If you don’t already have one, borrow or purchase a hacksaw since you will need it to trim the downspout to size.
If the area where you will be placing your extension does not get a lot of foot traffic, you can add a simple extension of downspout pipe. Use the hacksaw to cut a length from the new section of downspout pipe. Six to 8 feet is probably a good length provided enough room exists. Attach this piece to the existing downspout and use a galvanized gutter elbow to attach it securely.
If you have decided to use a splash block, place it underneath the downspout. Splash blocks help to direct the water onto the lawn. Eventually, you may want to consider placing a permanent splash block underneath the downspout, but a removable downspout allows you to remove it if necessary.
If your existing downspout is located in an area that receives a great deal of foot traffic such as walkways, driveways and patios, you may want to make some special arrangements. Two separate options exist that will easily extend your downspout without limiting walking access to the area.
A roll-up sleeve placed at the end of your existing downspout will sufficiently extend it to allow for drainage away from the home. Roll-up sleeves are perfect for those areas that need to remain uncluttered and free for foot traffic.
The roll-up sleeve will fit snugly on the end of your downspout. When it rains, the sleeve unrolls to allow the gutter and downspout to channel the water away from the roof and foundation of your home. Once it has stopped raining and the water has stopped draining from your roof, the sleeve automatically rolls back up again.
Another option for extending a downspout in an area that needs to remain open is the swing-up elbow. If you install a swing-up elbow to attach your new downspout extension, then you can flip it up and out of the way. When it rains, simply flip the downspout back to the ground to allow the rain to drain away from the home. You can allow the downspout to remain on the ground during any time that the area is not going to be used. For example, if the downspout is located at your patio and you only use the patio during the summer months, the downspout can remain on the ground during the off season. This decreases the number of times that you will need to adjust a swing-up downspout.
