Roof gutters usually play the important role of directing rain water away from a home's foundation. This is important as it protects the home's foundation from the devastating effects of hydrostatic pressure that may not only trigger foundation cracks, but also cause the foundation to shift, something that may then compromise the structural integrity of a home. This makes proper roof gutter maintenance a must. Here are tips that can help you do this.

Regular cleaning of the gutters

The clogging of gutters by leaves and soil particles is a common cause of rain water overflow. This is mainly because of two reasons. The first is that the continued accumulation of debris on the gutters usually increase the weight of the gutters. This then causes the gutters to sag, something that then reduces the ability of the gutters to hold water. The second is that the debris may simply block the gutters. It may also clog the downspouts. This may then force the collected rainwater to find an alternative path and thus causing an overflow, something that may then end up accelerating the rate at which your foundation gets damaged.

All that you need to clean your roof gutters is a trowel and a hose. Use the trowel to clear out the leaves and when you are done, rinse the gutters with a hose. This should be enough to prevent overflowing.

Increasing the number of downspouts

The water that is collected by the gutters is usually emptied to the drain through a number of downspouts. However, there are times when the existing downspouts are incapable of handling the volume of water collected by the gutters. In such cases, overflowing at the downspouts is common. This may end up directing rainwater to your home's foundation.

In such cases, increasing the number of downspouts is usually enough to solve the problem. When doing so, the only thing that you should keep in mind is to evenly space the downspouts so as to ensure that the draining process is as efficient as possible.

Replacing the hangers

With time, the hangers that hold the gutters in place can stretch. Their fasteners can also get loose. When this happens, properly installed gutters can end up tilting. This is something that will reduce the amount of water that the gutters can hold at any given time, something that will then expose your foundation to water-caused foundation problems.

Replacing the worn out hangers and tightening any loose fasteners is usually enough to eliminate the tilting. And in cases where the hangers are too-far-spaced, adding more hangers will help to prevent sagging. This will go a long way towards protecting your foundation.

For more information, contact Tremor Ready or a similar company.