Why are Gutters and Downspouts So Important? Your Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault Area Home Inspector Explains Why.

One of the most important yet commonly neglected fixtures on your roof are the gutters and downspouts. Some may question the importance of gutters and downspouts, as well as their maintenance, but there’s a reason you should have them on your home. These essential items play an important role in managing rain runoff from your roof and keeping your basement dry. As part of a home inspection, our home inspectors evaluate the condition and function of the gutters and discharge chutes.

 That’s a lot of water!

Did you know that on 1,000 square feet of surface area, one inch of rainfall creates 623 gallons of water? Let’s imagine you have a 32-foot x 34-foot home with a 2-foot eave all around. That’s 1,368 square feet of surface area (not taking roof pitch into consideration for simplicity). Drop 2 inches of rainfall on this roof... that’s about 1,700 gallons of water running off the edge! All that water has to go someplace, but where?

 Get that water away from my foundation!

Gutters, downspouts, and discharge chutes manage the water from your roof by routing it away from your foundation. If the water is allowed to run off the roof and saturate the soil next to your foundation, it can lead to a wet basement. An even worse situation is not having gutters, downspouts, and discharge chutes, and not having adequate soil slope away from the foundation. 

 The photo shows wetness in a basement where the discharge chute had been removed and was lying in the shrubs. The downspout was dumping water right at the foundation’s corner.

 A case in point.

At a recent home inspection, one of our home inspectors noted that the gutters at the rear of the home had some damage and were prone to leakage. In addition, the discharge chute was not extended far enough away from the foundation, and the soil sloped back towards the foundation. On top of that, the runoff from the driveway was routed around to the rear of the foundation. The home inspector documented all of this as in need of correction in the inspection report.

 Water Mitigation Systems

In the basement, it was noted that there were a couple of areas at the rear of the basement where the carpet and sheetrock were wet. The home inspector also documented this as in need of repair and noted they may need to have a basement waterproofing company install a water mitigation system.

 Our recommendation was that they first correct the issues with the gutters and soil slope, and then make sure that any water coming from the roof was flowing away from the home.

 Maintain your home’s gutter system.

Keep your gutters clean and discharge chutes in place. If you fail to maintain your system, you’re asking for trouble. Gutters that let water run over the edge are just as bad as having no gutters at all. Gutters plugged with water and debris are heavy, and that extra weight can pull gutters loose and even cause them to completely separate and fall from the house.

 Keeping your gutters and downspouts clean can be achieved by physically removing any debris or paying someone to clean them for you. For me, the height and pitch of the roof plays a big part in whether I would tackle the project myself. You can also have a system installed that prevents the accumulation of leaves, twigs, and other debris in your gutter system. There are plenty of DIY and professional installations available.

 Conclusion

Having proper gutters, downspouts, and discharge chutes is your number-one defense against a wet basement. Keep them clean and properly maintained and they’ll do their job every time it rains. Remember, a one-inch rainfall equals 623 gallons per 1,000 square feet...

Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN areas. You can contact us today at (507) 202-8942 or use our online “Schedule Now” feature to set up an appointment.