Gutter and Downspout Runoff Drainage Tips

​Gutters play an essential role in maintaining your home's condition throughout the year. By diverting excess water away from your home, gutters work to protect a variety of your home’s important structural elements, such as landscaping and hardscaping. Gutters are also essential for preserving the foundation of your home, avoiding flooding, and preventing erosion. If you'd like to maximize the performance and effectiveness of your gutters for years to come, check out these helpful tips below.

Prioritize Regular Inspections and Maintenance

​Regular inspections and periodic maintenance are one of the best ways to ensure your home's gutters are in good condition. While gutter care should be a year-round responsibility, it is especially important at the beginning of the spring and fall seasons.
 
During the spring, gutter inspections are typically used to check for damage after intense winter weather, such as snowstorms. This is because water in the gutters has a tendency to freeze, reducing the efficiency of the gutters. During the fall, gutter inspections mainly serve to remove debris or leaves that may cause blockages. Keeping an eye on your gutters during these two seasons can help ensure your home is not exposed to persistent water flow. In addition, homeowners can facilitate optimal gutter performance by checking for obstructions, such as leaves and debris, throughout the year. 

Adapt Your Landscaping to Optimize Water Flow

​Adapting your home's landscape to ideal water flow and runoff patterns is another way to ensure optimal performance for your gutters. You can start by looking for any low spots on your property and filling them as quickly as possible to avoid unnecessary water accumulation.  On a larger scale, you can also assess the slope and grading of your property. If your property’s grading or slope allows runoff to easily accumulate near your home, you may need to hire a professional excavator.
 
In any case, it is best to keep water flowing away from your home as much as possible. One way homeowners can do this is by hiring a plumber to install a sump pump.  Sump pumps work to collect water in your basement and direct it toward a storm drain or dry well near your home. Homeowners can also utilize a variety of water collection recipients, such as rain barrels, rain gardens, and cisterns. These solutions can limit the amount of water that flows toward your home while helping to avoid long-term damage.

Install High-Quality Gutter Guards

​In addition to these strategies for maximizing gutter efficiency and optimizing water flow, homeowners can also invest in high-quality gutter guards. As the name implies, gutter guards are designed to allow water to flow freely into gutters while preventing debris, trash, and pests from entering. By investing in gutter guards, homeowners can significantly extend the life of their gutters and their homes.
 
Depending on their specific needs, preferences, and the type of debris they want to keep out, homeowners can choose between a variety of gutter guard options. At Colorado Seamless Gutters, we install Gutter RX Covers, Heated Gutter RX Covers, Xtreme Gutter Guard Protection Systems, and more! If you're wondering which type of gutter guard is right for you, let our friendly team help ease your decision and call us today!