Rain Gutter & Downspout Issues

What to look for to save time & money!

There are several things to consider when you walk around the outside of any home.  One of the most overlooked is the condition of rain gutter in the front and back of the home, and the placement of the rain gutters and downspouts.

Your first area of concern should be – does the home have a rain gutter or downspouts? 

If not, where does rain, water, or condensation come off the roof?
 

How does this affect the landscaping underneath the edges of the roof? 

Are there patterns on the ground under the edge of the roof where the runoff is making a trough?

Gutters generally keep this run off from damaging landscaping or making troughs in the ground underneath.  However, if the edges of the gutters have dips in them along the longer length sides of the house they maybe overflowing.  Look on the ground directly below these area’s for evidence of water falling directly out of the gutter.  

The example picture below shows a front entry way with both rain gutters and a downspout (on the left) which is required in this case because the enty way is not covered from the rain by a porch or over hang of any type

Another cause of an overflowing rain gutter is a buildup of leaves or other debris indicating they have not been cleaned out.  This may also be a good indicator that the rest of the home which is "out of sight and out of mind" has not been well maintained.  A professional home inspector should look at the roof, gutters, and downspouts to tell you more about their condition and any maintenance necessary to repair them.

Your second area of concern is - where does the water come off the roof or out the downspouts, and thru the yard? Based on how you intend to use and landscape the property, water runoff must be properly managed.  Any area where you will want to keep vehicles, pets, special plantings, or decorative items should not go in areas where water from gutters or downspouts will fall on them or run thru them continuously.   In the picture to the right the downspout exits the water underground where it goes straight to the sewer system and does not impact the landscaping, sidewalk or yard.

Pool equipment is another concern.  We found out the hard way that, although the manual tells you that your pool heater is an outside appliance, they should not be located so that streaming water can fall into the heater top vent.  

The water falling from the roof on our propane heater equipment quickly ruined its ability to light correctly and heat-up the spa.  A cold spa is useless! 

One way to prevent this type of problem is to add a gutter or rain diverter to this area of the roof line.  The water runoff will then be concentrated into the areas where the downspouts can direct the water to where you want.

Is the property graded so that the water runs away from the house foundation?  Water should not pool around the foundation of the house at any point.  If you see evidence of this occurring; the ground around the home may need to be re-graded or the landscaped changed to direct the path of water away from the home.  Any standing water can contribute to the formation of mold in the home & walls, or may attract undesirable animals and insects.

Finally, the third primary consideration should be about NOISE!  Falling water is loud when it rains really hard.  And, water running, or worse dripping, through downspouts or off the edge of a roof can be very noisy.  Take a look at where these are located relative to the rooms inside the home. Usually downspouts are at the corners of the house.  Unfortunately, several corners are usually where the bedrooms are in the house plan. The noise of water dripping in a downspout can be just as bad as a leaky faucet dripping all night! 

If you are building a home, look at locating the downspouts away from areas of the home where people will be sleeping.  Looking closely at these normally “invisible” parts of a home and considering their impact on how you will use and live in the home, may save you lots of discomfort after you move in!

You will find different parts of the country and the world have very different gutter systems, downspouts or local traditions for what is expected or required.  Building codes and requirements also vary depending on the amount and type of typical weather in the area.

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