Did you know: the foundation of a house with gutter drains can actually be more at risk for moisture intrusion problems than a home without them? One might think the gutter drains will function as a beneficial means for redirecting the water running off of your roof, but unless the gutters have been extended away from your home, they are channeling all of the water directly towards the foundation of your home. That being said, homeowners with extended gutters can provide even more protection for their foundation by having professional gutter downspout installation for their home by a local waterproofing or drainage company like Barrier Waterproofing Systems.
A gutter extension is best done at a length of about 8 to 10 feet. For some properties, an extension like this might do the trick for keeping water away from the foundation of the home. This is especially true for properties that have a natural slope where the water can be directed, or have been mechanically graded to create the ability for runoff away from the home. If this is not a characteristic of your property, creating a drain at the bottom of your downspout is the next best way to ensure that the water is kept away from your foundation.
One way to do this is to connect the downspout to a long 4″ to 6″ PVC pipe that runs the length of your yard until it reaches a slope or lengthy distance away from your foundation. Be sure to cross any driveways that exist on the pathway.
Another way to do this is for homeowners with limited space is to direct the water coming from the extension a little further from the home and utilize a technique to weep the water into the ground. To do this, a trench must be dug the length of the space you have available, nothing less than 8 to 10 feet. Lining the trench with drainage fabric, piling it with gravel, and laying a perforated PVC pipe you have connected to the extension with the holes facing downward will give your downspout the ability to drain out away from the home and absorb into the ground.
There you have some ways you can implement gutter drain downspouts to help with protecting the foundation of your home from moisture intrusion. For a professional gutter downspout installation to avoid any weaknesses or flaws in the system, or for more thorough and comprehensive systems installations that are designed to waterproof your foundation, give Barrier Waterproofing Systems a call today at (615) 257-1060 | (931) 536-1168.
