INDIANAPOLIS — Maintaining good flow in your home's gutters is definitely on a homeowner's fall checklist because of the damage falling leaves can do if they clog a downspout.
But Pat Sullivan from Sullivan Hardware and Garden said this Sunday on 13Sunrise that gutters are just as important now because of the volume of water they handle during spring rains.
Pat recommends getting out to inspect your gutters and draining system before the next deluge.
Starting with the gutters, Sullivan looks for drip lines on the front of a gutter. They indicate water has been ponding in the gutter and pouring over the top of the gutter when the level gets high enough. That signals the water is not able to make its way to a downspout fast enough, probably because of debris that has accumulated and clogged the free flow of water.
Sullivan said gutter covers have improved since the 1970s and can prevent leaves and debris from building up. But some guards do more harm than good because they can create ice dams and damage your roof.
If your downspout does not carry water away from your foundation, that water will just seep back into your basement or crawl space. Extension tubing or splash troughs that carry water into your yard are inexpensive and ensure the ground absorbs the water, not your foundation.
Sullivan said the grade of the ground around your foundation is important. "Be careful that you don't change the grade" or add a lot of loose soil that can hold water if you are preparing a landscape bed next to your house. "Really what you want up by your foundation is clay, and we certainly have enough clay in central Indiana." A clay "plate" extending in the first few feet from your foundation, sloping down from your house toward your yard for anywhere up to ten feet will help carry water away from your foundation.
Window wells that are too low or uncovered can also be sources of unwanted water seeping into your foundation.
Watch Pat's full Sunrise segment in the video player.
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