Gutters and downspouts are essential components of any home’s water management system. They have one job, and it is an important one – protect the home and its surrounding area from water. These crucial devices are so commonplace, that you might not even notice them. But nonetheless, their role in safeguarding your home’s foundation, preventing water damage, and preserving its structural integrity is paramount!

What Are Gutters and Downspouts?

Honestly, you probably know what gutters and downspouts are, but let’s all get on the same page, just to be sure.

Gutters are channels that run horizontally along a roof’s edge to collect water. These devices effectively catch rainwater and snowmelt as it runs off the roof, funneling it toward the nearest downspout.

Downspouts are the vertical pipes that carry the collected water from the gutters down to the ground and away from the home’s foundation. These two objects work together harmoniously to get the job done.

Why Are Gutters and Downspouts So Important?

Foundation Protection. Gutters and downspouts prevent water from pooling around the base of your home, which can cause foundation cracks and structural issues. Hydrostatic pressure can be a serious threat to the integrity of your foundation wall. Hydrostatic pressure occurs when water gathers up against the foundation, and the force of gravity causes it to exert pressure on the wall. As the pressure increases, the water will make its way through any tiny cracks or openings that may be present. Eventually the fluctuation of temperature can cause these cracks to expand and lead to further structural damage; and in worst-case scenarios, the foundation wall can even bow and fail.

Preserving the Landscape. Proper gutter/downspout systems will help to prevent soil erosion and landscape damage by directing water flow away from your property. Without them, water runoff can flood garden beds and damage plants, leading to costly landscaping repairs.

Preventing Basement Flooding. If there are any small cracks or openings in your foundation wall, water will find its way through. This can potentially lead to flooding and water damage issues. The solution is to use a sufficient drainage system to direct water away from the home.

Preventing Water Damage. Your foundation isn’t the only exterior aspect of the home at risk. Gutters and downspouts will also help to protect parts of the home such as siding, ceilings and windows.

Home Value. Let’s not forget that a protected home is a more valuable home. Installing a reliable drainage system can increase the value of your home because it prevents a variety of maintenance and repair issues.

Types of Gutter and Downspout Systems

K-Style Gutters: These are the most common type, featuring a flat bottom and back with a decorative front that usually resembles crown molding. This style of gutter is easy to install and has a high water-holding capacity. K-style gutters are typically made of aluminum and come in 5 or 6-inch widths.

Half-Round Gutters: These gutters have a semicircular shape, and are known for their smooth interior. This design generally allows for better water flow and less debris buildup. Similar to K-style, half-round also comes in 6 and 5-inch widths.

Custom Gutter: There are number of alternate styles of gutters as well.  These include built-in gutters, which can be integrated into the roof structure. There are also box gutters that are large, rectangular and mainly used on commercial buildings. You can also find milled wooden gutters that are more common in older homes. Custom gutters can be built to match the character of any home, but will often need specialized maintenance and/or repair, and are more costly.

Square Downspouts: These are popular for their sleek, modern look. They can also be easily installed and customized.

Round Downspouts: These are effective at directing water away from your home and are often used with seamless gutters. Their round shape helps to reduce blockages.

Rectangular Downspouts: These are designed for specific gutter systems and are often found in older homes. They tend to have a a more “classic” look.

Downspout Extensions: Downspouts extensions are added to existing downspouts to channel water further away from the foundation. This is especially useful in areas with heavy rainfall, where simply directing water to the ground isn’t enough. They can be made of a variety of materials, flexible or rigid, and are easy to install.

Materials Used in Gutter Systems

Aluminum: This is a popular material for modern gutter systems because it is lightweight, rust-resistant, and relatively inexpensive. However, it can dent or bend more easily than other materials.

Copper: Copper gutters are durable and develop a patina over time, which adds a sought after character to the gutters. They are also resistant to rust and corrosion. But they are certainly a more expensive option.

Galvanized Steel: These types of gutters are strong and can withstand heavy snow and ice. They are generally less expensive than copper.

Plastic: Plastic gutters are typically made of PVC or vinyl, making them inexpensive and easy to install. However, they are less durable than metal options, and can become brittle in extreme heat or cold.

Installation Is Important!

Like any other aspect of the house, how and where a gutter system is installed matters.

Gutter Size: The size of your gutters should be chosen based on the square footage of your roof, how steep it is, and the local rainfall intensity. Steeper roofs shed water more quickly, which may require larger gutters.  5-inch K-style gutters are often sufficient for most roofs, but 6-inch gutters may be more optimal for larger roofs or areas with heavier rainfall.

Downspout Size: For 5-inch gutters, 2×3-inch downspouts are recommended, and 3×4-inch downspouts for 6-inch gutters. It’s also important to install a downspout every 30 to 40 feet of gutter, though this may vary depending on the roof size and rainfall.

Downspout Placement: Downspouts should be placed at the corners of your home where possible, and should extend at least four feet away from the foundation, directing the water into an area that slopes away from the house.

Professional vs. DIY Gutter Installation

Gutter and Downspout Maintenance

Regular maintenance keeps your gutter system functioning properly. Gutters that are not taken care of can cause clogs, leaks, and even structural damage.

It is generally recommended to clean your gutters at least twice a year, typically in the spring and fall. If you have many trees around your home, you may need to increase the cleaning frequency to 3 or 4 times a year. Make sure to check for debris build up or damage after any severe storms. Remove clogs by hand or with a gutter scoop, and then use a garden hose to flush out any remaining debris.

Gutter guards can often help reduce the need for frequent cleaning. Types include mesh screens, reverse curve guards, foam inserts, and brush inserts. If you do use gutter guards, make sure to check them periodically to ensure they are not obstructing flow.

You should also periodically inspect for leaks, loose fasteners, or signs of damage. In the event that you do find any leaks that are easily accessible, you may be able to fix them on your own. First, clean the area around the leak, then apply a gutter sealant for small holes, or use a patch kit for larger holes. If you come across sagging gutters, check for loose hangers or brackets. Then tighten them or replace them as needed. If you are uncomfortable with this type of maintenance, you can always hire gutter cleaning professionals.

Inspecting Gutters and Downspouts

During our standard inspections, we always examine the entire exterior of the property. We understand the importance of an effective drainage system, so that is something our inspectors will always look at closely.

We will be on the look out for any signs of leaking, rusting, cracking, holes, disconnected or missing segments or any other type of visible damage.

Additionally, are the gutters draining properly? Inspectors will walk the roof when possible or climb a ladder to the edge of the roof in order to take a good look at gutter condition. We will call out any signs of debris buildup or blockage. Also, we’re looking for any standing water, which could indicate poor sloping.

Downspouts should be properly secure to the gutters with no gaps. Proper water diversion is crucial as well. Downspouts should divert water 4 to 6 feet away from the home’s foundation. Downspout extensions should be used when necessary.

Book with Scott Home Services

At Scott Home Services, we have been providing professional inspection services throughout the Colorado Front Range for over 18 years. So one thing is for sure – we know homes! It is our number one goal to help Colorado families live in safe, healthy, and comfortable homes.

We are your one-stop-shop for any type of inspection service – from standard home inspections to radon testing, sewer scope inspections to mold testing. If you are in need of any inspection services, do not hesitate to visit us online or contact us to book your services today!

Water and moisture are one of the biggest threats to the exterior of a house. So it is crucial to have a solid exterior defense system to protect your home. Of course, you need a suitable roof, a good foundation and siding, and sufficient grading. But even if a home is well equipped with all these features, water will often find its way down through the ground, trying to sneak through any imperfections in the foundation. That’s where a good perimeter drain and sump pump system can save the day!

During home inspections, we receive many questions about how sump pits and pumps work. We typically explain that sump pumps and drains are the last line of defense against water intrusion, while the proper watershed of a home and proper grading are what most homeowners should focus on. The less a sump pump gets used the better.

However, if you want to significantly reduce the potential for water damage to your home, then you better bet that you need a solid sump system! Let’s take a closer look at what it’s all about and why it’s so important.

What Are Sump Pumps and Perimeter Drains?

Simply put, sump pumps and perimeter drains are equipment meant to protect a home from water intrusion and pressure. Heavy rain, snowmelt and rising groundwater causes water to work its way into the soil and toward the foundation of the home.

If unhindered, the water can then seep in through into the basement and crawlspace and wreak havoc. Additionally, residual water build-up can create hydrostatic pressure against the foundation, and cause potential structural damage.

The sump pump and perimeter drain are a great duo that serve as the last line of defense against these types of water-related issues. They are generally found in homes with basements and crawlspaces. However, these systems weren’t required by building code until the middle of the last decade, and so some older homes won’t have systems installed.

However, in this article, we will focus on the most common installation method you will see on most modern builds.

How Does It All Work?

Perimeter Drains

A perimeter drain  (sometimes known as a footing drain or a weeping tile) is a long, flexible plastic tube that extends around the entire perimeter of the home. This pipe is perforated with thousands of small holes, often fitted into a permeable, mesh sock. The sock allows water to flow into the pipe, but helps to prevent soil or debris from entering the pipe.

Builders will dig a shallow trench in which to lay the piping. Once the pipe is laid, it will be covered first with larger gravel, followed by finer gravel, then finally soil. This layering of descending sizes of gravel, helps to filter out chunks of debris as water seeps toward the pipe.

Vertical sections of piping can also be installed at each window well, which then tie into the perimeter drain (as shown below). This configuration helps provide ventilation for the piping system to promote water flow. Furthermore, these sections of piping also serve as drains for the window wells when there is heavy rain fall or snowmelt.

The trench should have a slight grade leading toward a sump pit. The sump pit is hole dug below the surface of the basement or crawlspace floor. A plastic tank is installed in the pit, and this is where the perimeter piping drains. This is where you will find the sump pump.

Sump Pumps

The sump pump is a motorized device that is designed to pump water out of the the sump tank once it reaches an established threshold. There are two major types of sump pumps – float and pressure.

As illustrated in the picture below, the float style pump has a float that rises with the water level. Once the water pushes the float up to a certain height, a switch is activated. When the switch turns on, the pump will send the water up through a discharge pipe and out of the house. This process repeats each time the water reaches that same height.

A pressure pump works similarly in that it pumps water once a certain threshold is reached. The difference is that it has a water pressure gauge. Once the gauge is fully submerged and reaches a certain pressure, then the pump kicks on to discharge water.

Inspecting Sump Pumps

Here in Colorado, we may get lots of sunny days, but we also get plenty of snow and rain. That’s why having a properly operating sump system is such an important aspect of a home. This not only mitigates potential water intrusion and foundational damage, but it also helps to reduce soil erosion around the foundation. Using this method is bound to save you money one way or another!

Also, Colorado is well known for its terrible soil. Clay-heavy soils can expand with moisture, which is a big cause of structural issues. The better you can mitigate and move water away from your foundation, the better chance you have of keeping your foundation in great condition.

When conducting home inspections, we always make sure to inspect the sump pit when present. If the pump is a float style, we can test it by reaching in and pulling the float up to see if the motor kicks on. However, we are unable to manually test pressure-based pumps. Regardless of the pump type, our inspectors will always make sure the water level is at or below the drain inlet as an indication that the pump is working properly. And while this can be a limited inspection, it is a great indicator of a pump working during the inspection.

At Scott Home Inspection, we proudly offer complete performance assessments of CO homes – from the roof to the basement, and everything in between (including sump pumps). If you are based in the Colorado Front Range, and in need of inspection services, we would love to be of service! Visit us online to learn more, or book your services today!