Minnesota saw a lot of rain this past summer and that means a lot of homeowners probably saw water pooling around their foundations and even running into their basements. This most likely had to do with faulty downspouts.
As a matter of fact, a number of individuals throughout Minnesota neighborhoods complained that some of the water runoff was coming from their neighbors. This means the water was not draining away from the neighbor’s property correctly. Improper discharge of roof downspouts tends to be a culprit for this, allowing flood water to run to areas that have drainage issues.
And then there are the basements.
Water that is allowed to pool around the foundation of the home can seep through the foundation walls and be cause for a flooded or damp basement.
Now if you think, “My downspouts really don’t expel that much water,” you may be surprised. A roof that is 1,500 square feet will shed 940 gallons of water for every 1 inch of rain. Assume that the home has four downspouts. That equals to well over 200 gallons per downspout. Now imagine all of this water pooling around the foundation. That could be a problem.
Fortunately, the condition is one that can be corrected. First, gutter systems and downspouts need to be cleaned out. Second, there must be extensions several feet long leading away from the house so the water will drain away properly. If there are any broken gutters, downspouts, or extensions, those components need to be repaired or replaced.
With winter arriving, it is even more important to go ahead and have those downspouts taken care of. Just because the spring and summer rains are in the past, the melting snow can cause a drainage problem of its own. In other words, downspouts are busy all year round, which means they have to be ready for all seasons.
