When living in South Florida, it is inevitable to encounter heavy rains. Flooding occurs frequently from typical rain showers to various tropical storms and even hurricanes. The storm strengths can end up leaving local areas sometimes devastated. Florida can bear the brunt of serious storms, as clearly noted most recently by hurricane Matthew. Between vicious winds and heavy rain, this weather can lead to serious gutter overflow. This overflow can then lead to more home damage than was caused by the storm in the first place.
Many people are left wondering what the cause of overflowing gutters truly is. It is important to first make sure gutters are in proper shape. Do not assume right away that the gutter is clogged if it is overflowing- this could be damage or being too small, leading to serious leakage and the potential for damaging other elements of your home.
When there is a great deal of rain, the effects can be serious for your gutters. For those in areas of high rainfall it is of great importance to watch for clogged gutters. The rain manages to knock down debris from trees and plant life in the surrounding area into gutters – leaving them too full to function. When this happens, water towers over the debris, leaving water to cause damage to the home. In case of gutter overflow, be sure to clean out gutters and remove all leaves, moss, and related debris from the gutter. Be sure that all openings in the gutter are clear. When you believe the gutters are clear, it can be beneficial to test by using a bucket of water to assure water is travelling through gutters, and is hence proper house drainage.
Be sure that gutters are not being blocked by overhangs. If the gutter is blocked, house drainage can end up causing other damage, even if the gutters are free and clear.
Another point of concern is the gutter downspout. Heavy rain can cause the downspout to “bottleneck” the water, thus leaving excess water with nowhere to go. Opting for larger gutters can help alleviate this issue, as house drainage is able to drain a higher volume of water. Many houses are ill equipped with low capacity gutters. Upsizing gutter size keeps your home safe from foundational or other physical damage. In an area with high rainfall like South Florida, larger gutters are a necessity for house drainage. Larger gutters are great for increasing overall rainfall capacity. This also leaves more leeway for tree debris during the storm. It is absolutely not a fun experience to end up with a clogged gutter in the midst of a serious storm. Going out in harsh storms and hurricanes would be potentially harmful, so it is best to take precautionary measures that leave no reason to end up trying to fix gutter issues!
Especially after a storm, please remember safety first. If you gutters are damaged or overflowed during hurricane Matthew, call the professionals at Coast to Coast Gutters today for a free estimate to clean, repair, or replace your existing gutters.
