Don’t Let This Happen to Your House

Heavy rainfall in Florida
The heavy rainfall and flash flooding being reported in the Florida (El Niño)  can be a reminder of the importance of diverting downspout water away from your foundation.

60,000 gallons of water on your roof?
It is important to divert downspout water away from your basement because of the large amount of water that discharges through your downspouts. With Florida’s average annual rainfall of 54.02 inches and an average house roof size of 2000 square feet, more than 60,000 gallons of water lands on the roof during the year.

 Debris Accumulation

• Loose debris will quickly begin to decompose, matting down and compressing into a solid sheet as it becomes damp, causing gutter clogs.
• Accumulated debris caused by clogged gutters is a fire hazard, and it is extremely bad for the roof, accelerating wear and backing water up under the shingles.
• It can also create a solid bridge over the top of the gutters that can send water cascading over the edge.

Damage Clogged Gutters Can Cause

• Basement flooding
• Foundation cracking and settlement
• Soil erosion
• Dry-rot on fascia boards, soffit, and roof
• Paint damage
• Window, door and siding damage
• Mold damage
• Fire damage in dry, high wind, fire-prone areas

Common Causes of Gutter Damage

• Leaning ladders against gutters to clean them out
• Seams splitting apart (on non-seamless types)
• Ice formation
• Pest infestations
• Stains caused by constant overflowing and rusting spikes
• Storm and tree damage

When any of these problems occur, it may be time to replace your gutters. Ideally, the life expectancy of the average aluminum gutter is 20 – 30 years or longer, depending on maintenance, the care you take putting ladders against them, and regional weather conditions in your area of the country. Copper gutters may last 50 yrs, and galvanized steel gutters start rusting very quickly.

Don't hesitate, Call Rainbow...