Do Gutters Prevent Basement Water?
Updated
Short answer
They help a lot, if they flow and if the downspouts discharge far enough out: DOE guidance is sloping ground more than 5 feet from the foundation. A clogged gutter or a downspout dumping at the wall concentrates roof water right where the basement is.
The volume involved
A 1,500 square foot roof sheds about 935 gallons per inch of rain. Rockford averages 37.24 inches a year, about 34,800 gallons off that roof. Spread over the yard, the ground absorbs it; concentrated at four downspouts beside the wall, it soaks the soil against the foundation.
The checklist
- Gutters clean and flowing; see gutter cleaning.
- Downspouts clear and attached.
- Extensions carrying water more than 5 feet out to sloping ground.
- Buried lines draining to a catchment more than 10 feet out and not into the foundation drain.
- Ground around the house sloping away.
Gutters are one part of keeping a basement dry. Persistent leaks after the gutters are working need a basement or grading contractor.
Quick answers
Can clogged gutters cause a wet basement?
Yes. Overflow and short downspouts put roof water against the foundation, and a 1,500 sq ft roof sheds about 935 gallons per inch of rain.
Rather have someone else do it?
Tell us the address, how tall the house is and what you need. A local crew calls back with a price before anything is booked.