With all the rain we have had lately it would be a good idea to check your gutter systems to make sure they are functioning properly. It is important to make sure they drain correctly and completely and that any water is routed away from your foundation. Water left to drain near the foundation seems to find a way to enter the basement!
Water that sits in your gutters, rather than draining away is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, so eliminate this standing water as well as any other standing water on your property. Another major source of mosquito breeding is in the black corrugated pipe many people use to drain water away from their home. By placing a "Mosquito Dunk" in the pipe near where the water enters, you can eliminate this problem as well.
This article, from Pat Curry of the National Association of Home Builders explains how to eliminate gutter drainage problems.
To prevent gutters from trapping stagnant pools of water, they need to be pitched toward the downspouts for proper flow. That means an incline of ¼-inch of slope for every 10 feet of gutter. Set at the correct incline, your gutters should drain completely.
Water that sits in your gutters, rather than draining away is a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, so eliminate this standing water as well as any other standing water on your property. Another major source of mosquito breeding is in the black corrugated pipe many people use to drain water away from their home. By placing a "Mosquito Dunk" in the pipe near where the water enters, you can eliminate this problem as well.
This article, from Pat Curry of the National Association of Home Builders explains how to eliminate gutter drainage problems.
To prevent gutters from trapping stagnant pools of water, they need to be pitched toward the downspouts for proper flow. That means an incline of ¼-inch of slope for every 10 feet of gutter. Set at the correct incline, your gutters should drain completely.
Check the pitch of your gutters
Get up on a ladder and look down the run of the gutter. Long runs of gutters are deliberately high in the middle so water flows toward downspouts at each end. Look for any peaks or valleys along the way. If these are slight, correct the problem by bending a few hangers up or down. If the problem is more serious, reset your gutter.
Calculate the drop
Take these simple steps to work out the amount of incline—or “drop”—needed:
- Measure the length of the run of your gutter.
- Divide the length by 10.
- Multiply the result by .25 to get the amount of drop from one end of the gutter toward the downspout.
For example, a run of 38 feet should have a drop of about 1 inch (38 ÷ 10 = 3.8 x .25 = .95).
Reset your gutter
- Mark the fascia. At the downspout end of the gutter, measure down from the top of the fascia and mark the correct amount of drop. Remove a hanger or two and refasten them so the top of the gutter lines up with the mark.
- Straighten the gutter. Before adjusting the rest of the gutter, stretch a string taut above it as a guide for straightness. Reposition the hangers or add additional ones for any serious sags. Sight down the gutter to check your work.
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