Guide to Downspouts
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Although most people have gutters and downspouts on their houses, there is sometimes confusion on how downspouts work. If you don’t do regular maintenance on your gutters and downspouts, you could end up damaging your home and costing yourself quite a bit of money.
How Do Downspouts Work?
When your gutter system is functioning correctly, it should be slightly sloped towards the downspout, which is usually on every corner of the house. There may be an extra downspout or two if your home has a particularly long wall, or if you are in an area that sees more rain than usual.
Downspouts are usually curved at the bottom to take water away from the foundation of your home, where moisture can cause damage. Some homes have more extensive systems, including downspouts that have been extended to go to a driveway or other areas. Such systems are made to handle more water than soil, and some even have drains incorporated in the yard that can pop up when there is precipitation.
The main function of your downspouts is to direct water away from your home in a way that causes the least amount of damage. This means that your downspouts are not only protecting your house but also preventing erosion in your yard.
What Do I Do if My Downspouts are Clogged a Lot?
If you don’t have any gutter protection products on the gutters of your home, you may notice that your downspouts are clogged often. This is a big issue, as water will not be directed where it is supposed to go, and it can cause damage to not only your home and roof but also your foundation and lawn.
If your downspouts are clogged, begin by seeing if you can see the issue at the top of the downspout. If the clog is inside of the downspout, you may need to use a tool to break it up. You can also try to use your hose to direct water to break up the clog.
However, if the clog is extreme, you might even have to disassemble the downspout and attempt to get the clog out without damaging the downspout.
Gutter Protection Products
If you don’t have gutter protection products installed on your home, you might be spending a lot of time and money cleaning your gutters and remedying clogs. In Texas, more than just leaves and regular debris can clog your gutters. Our dreaded cedar season means that there is a huge amount of cedar pollen in the air that can quickly clog your gutters. Austin Gutter King recommends that homeowners install a gutter protection system like Gutterglove Pro to protect their homes and gutter system from clogs and debris. Gutterglove Pro can be installed with an entirely new gutter system, or it can be retrofitted to most existing gutters. Austin Gutter King is so confident in our gutter protection system that we offer a 40-year warranty.
Get Started with Austin Gutter King
Gutter installation and maintenance can help you avoid costly water damage to your home. Call Austin Gutter King today and let us know how we can help you protect your property!