What we saw → Water at the foundation or in the basement
Water at the foundation or in the basement
Photo to come
What it looks like
- Water pooling against the house after a rain.
- Damp or wet spots on basement walls or floors.
- A downspout that empties right at the wall.
What causes it
- Water pouring over the front of a gutter lands in a concentrated line at the foundation instead of being carried away.
- A downspout dumping at the wall is a wet basement waiting to happen.
What it leads to
- That causes soil erosion around the house.
- Erosion at the foundation leads to basement leaks.
How we fix it
- Keep the debris out. The Valor Gutter Guard keeps leaves, needles and nests out of the gutter, so there’s nothing to clog.
- Downspouts configured to your house, with an elbow at the bottom to discharge away from the foundation.
- Seamless .032 aluminum gutters, pitched toward the outlet, with enough downspouts for a hard rain. See gutters.
Questions and answers
Can gutters cause a wet basement?
Yes. Water pouring over a clogged gutter lands in a concentrated line at the foundation, erodes the soil, and erosion at the foundation leads to basement leaks. A downspout that dumps at the wall does the same.