Downspouts perform the critical role of making sure that the rainwater collected in the gutter troughs are routed to the drains. In today’s post, your local provider of the best gutter protection system, Gutter Helmet® Systems of Alabama, shares a quick guide on how to troubleshoot common downspout problems.
Little to No Rainwater Coming Through the Downspouts
Rainwater in the gutters is supposed to flow into the downspouts. If little to no water from your downspouts is finding its way into your gutters, there is likely something that’s clogging them. Ignoring clogged downspouts can lead to bigger problems like water backing up and resulting in overflowing rainwater. Some types of downspouts can be dismantled and cleaned in segments or can be cleaned through an opening using a drain auger. For severely clogged downspouts, it’s best to call gutter professionals.
Rainwater Not Draining Fast Enough
When designing and building a new gutter system, gutter professionals take many factors into consideration, from the roof’s slope (which affects the rate of how much rainwater falls into the gutters) to the local average rainfall amounts. Gutter sizes are then derived from these factors. DIYers and inexperienced builders often overlook the fact that downspouts need to be properly sized according to the gutter troughs.
If your gutters are not draining fast enough and they don’t seem to be clogged, then the downspouts may be too small. There are two ways to fix this: either replace the downspouts with proportionally bigger ones, or install additional downspouts. The rule of thumb is there should be downspout for every 40 feet of gutter.
Rainwater Isn’t Draining at the Right Places
Downspouts are supposed to direct rainwater away from your home. The end of the downspout should be at least 10 feet away from the house and should terminate at areas like troughs, French drains, or even at areas like the driveway where the water will flow into storm drains. There are various solutions to this problem, the easiest of which is to install downspout extensions.
Gutter Helmet Systems of Alabama is your leading provider of the best gutter protection available, Gutter Helmet. Give us a call at (866) 598-7525. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We serve customers in Chelsea, AL, and the surrounding communities.
