An overflowing gutter system is more than an annoying irritation splashing windows, and saturating the garden. That’s because the pooling water sinks into the ground and gradually weakens the foundations too. Moreover, the eavestroughs are also full of water and could sag from the weight and eventually break the supporting brackets.

We receive inquiries from time to time from citizens who installed new eavestrough systems that overflow. Sadly, some are quite recent jobs by cowboy installers unable or unwilling to correct them. We are always happy to quote to make adjustments. Here are five of the commonest problems we encounter.

# 1 – The Rain is Exceptionally Heavy

We install gutters to cope with heavy, not torrential rain. Remember, they should never become heavy enough to tear away the mounting brackets. However, if your eavestroughs overflow in moderate rain, then you may like to consider an upgrade to a more generous version.

# 2 – Your System is Blocked

Rainstorms can tear leaves and seeds off trees, and rain them down into eavestroughs. If they lay there for a while, they will compost and become a mulch when wet. This material can form into dams – often at entry points to downspouts – causing rainwater to backup and overflow. The only way to avoid this is to keep them clear.

 # 3 – The System is Inadequate

You need a gutter system that evenly catches the rainwater, and dispatches it into the down spouts. We have seen systems that attempt to funnel water from all sides of the roof into a single pipe. If you don’t have enough of these they will back up, and the water will pour over the eavestroughs.

# 4 – Your Eavestroughs are Undersized

Eavestroughs are available in several capacities, depending on the manufacturer and contractor. Standard five-inch ones usually work well for small to medium-size roofs. However, the six-inch option may be advisable in areas with exceptional rainfall. Speak to Valiant Exteriors for impartial, honest advice.

# 5 – Your System is Badly Installed

The above issues can merge into a perfect storm if the eavestroughs don’t slope sufficiently to allow a steady out flow. You could also face a situation where the downspouts are undersized.

Valiant Exteriors offers fair advice over the phone if you email a few photos first. We are a small, family-owned business and offer personalized service to local people.

More Info About Eavestroughs

Roof Edges and Poor Eavestrough Overhangs

Debris in Eaves Troughs and Down Spouts

A Gutter System Overflowing in Heavy Rain (AzurevacR BY CC 4.0)