Your eavestroughs are a crucial part of your home’s roofing system. They collect and funnel rain from the roof and direct it away from your home and the foundation.
Unfortunately, eavestroughs that are damaged or compromised in some way can lead to water damage along your home’s exterior walls, and high levels of water that drip or pour over your eavestroughs can cause damage to your home’s foundation or even leak into your basement.
To avoid these potentially costly issues, you’d be well-advised to inspect and maintain your eavestroughs on a regular basis. Here are a few tips to do just that.
- Clean Out Your Eavestroughs Regularly
Every few months, you should clean out your eavestroughs to keep rainwater from pooling and allow it to flow freely. Scooping out all of the leaves and debris from your eavestroughs and flushing them out with a hose can help ensure free-flowing water.
That said, doing this job requires that you get up on a ladder and manually eliminate the debris. If you’re not comfortable with this, it’s suggested that you call the experts in eavestrough cleaning, like Tip Top Trough.
- Look For Clogs in Your Downspouts
Take some time to inspect your downspouts to see if there is any clogging. If so, the water that has been collected by your eavestroughs won’t have anywhere to go. That means the water will remain trapped in the downspouts. And if left throughout the colder months of the year, it can freeze and cause a backup.
If you are unable to see clearly into your downspouts, you might be able to stick a hose in there with a pressure nozzle attached to test it out and see if anything comes out. Doing so may also help to clear any potential clogging that may be present that you can’t see.
- Conduct Required Maintenance
Walk around the perimeter of your home on a regular basis and look for any signs of issues with your eavestroughs. Look for things such as corrosion, rusting, bending, warping, slouching, cracks, holes, gaps, or any other potential problem.
If the damage is minor – such as small cracks – you can repair them yourself. But other issues that are more significant may require the assistance of a professional.
- Install Guards on Your Eavestroughs
Eavestrough guards can help reduce the amount of debris that makes its way into your eavestroughs. That means you won’t have to clean them out as regularly, if at all. Guards will still allow water to get in and be directed away from your home while keeping debris out. All you would need to do after they are installed is brush debris off the guards.
- Install Downspout Extensions
Depending on the configuration of your home and the lot it sits on, your downspouts might not be as long as they could or should be. Many downspouts collect and push water away from a home with the use of a splash block.
But in some instances, this might not be enough, especially during heavy rainfalls. In these cases, a downspout extension may be warranted, or else the water can pool around your home’s foundation and cause damage.
These extensions can be easily affixed to your downspouts and positioned in such a way that the water is directed appropriately away from your home.
If you’re in need of assistance with your eavestrough system, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Tip Top Trough today!
