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Gutter Obstructions
There are many obstructions that can slow the flow of water from your roof to the downspout. These obstructions include: corners, outlets, gutter fasteners, TV and Antenna cable, Christmas light holders and strainers.
Gutter Corners
Gutter corners are usually 90 degrees. This nearly stops the forward momentum of water. It is usually the pooling action of water that allows it to make the turn. In addition, the bottom of the gutter is cut and as it is bent to make the corner, then the two bottom pieces overlap. This creates a lip for the water to go over. Also, screws are used to mechanically bind the bottom gutter overlap together. Then a caulking is applied to this lip to minimize leaking. So in a corner you have four things working against the water flow: the bend, bottom lip, screws and the caulking. To top it off, corners are one of the first areas of a roof to sag. So if the corner is a low spot, the gutter usually overflows there first. The solution is to overlap the gutters so the bottom piece of the gutter is on the downhill side and also slope the gutters towards the downspout.
Gutter Outlets
Gutter outlets are the little pieces of metal that interface the gutter (trough sections) with the downspout (the vertical tube that connects the gutter to the drain). A hole is cut in the bottom of the gutter. Then an outlet is inserted into the hole and is supposed to be fastened in place with screws or rivets. Then a caulking covers the metal seam. The combination of the raised outlet, the screws and caulking creates a little lip. With a proper gutter slope, the water can overcome this hurdle. But the outlets hold back debris that causes it to clump at the edge. With sufficient water pressure, the clump may slide over the outlet and plug the downspout. There are several solutions to this:
- Put outlet on bottom of gutter
- Proper gutter slope with a good downspout strainer
- Make larger outlet
- Larger downspout which also allows a larger outlet
Cables and Christmas Light Holders
I see TV and antenna cables strung in gutters quite often. Also, Christmas light holders are often left fastened to gutters. Gutters are for keeping water away from the foundation and not as a conduit for cables. Most cable installers probably don't care and string the cables in the gutters. This makes the gutters harder to clean and the cables keep debris from flowing and slow the flow of water.
Downspout Strainers
Downspout strainers significantly slow the flow of water and debris at the gutter outlet. However the strainers (if selected properly) also prevent the downspout from plugging prematurely. This can mean the difference of cleaning your gutter from twice a year to once a year, or from cleaning your gutters once a year to cleaning them every two years. This is a significant savings for the home maintenance budget. However, I would like to emphasize that installing the wrong downspout strainer, installing a strainer that doesn't work or installing a good one incorrectly can be the single biggest cause of gutters overflowing. Having an experienced gutter cleaner install strainers and explain how they work is important in maintaining your gutters. If you have "oversized" outlets, you will not need or want downspout strainers. |