Can Gutters Cause a Basement to Flood?

Downspout Extension

• Extending downspout guttering to several yards past the foundation and allowing rainwater to drain there lessens water pressure near the home. If the area doesn't have foot traffic, then the extension can be permanent. One type of guttering extension is made of heavy-grade plastic that rolls up like a paper noisemaker. The plastic is tucked against the outside wall until rain occurs. Then the pressure of rainwater forces the plastic to extend, and it carries water from the foundation area.

Yard Grade

• A yard's grade is the land's slope, such as the slope of the land from the foundation walls outward. If the yard slopes toward the home, then it is poorly graded and rainwater will never drain away from the foundation. At a minimum, the yard touching the foundation should be higher than the rest of the yard nearby, and it should slope gently downward to allow water to follow it away from the home.

Sump and French Drain

• Homes in areas with extensive rainfall benefit from an underground extension of guttering that takes rainwater to a sump. A sump is a pit, usually in the basement, that holds the water long enough for it to drain safely or to be pumped outside of the home by a sump pump. An alternative is to end guttering at a French drain, which is a trench that is filled with gravel and covered with soil and grass. The gravel provides a simple path for the water to drain away from the home instead of saturating surrounding soil.

Water Barrels

• Water barrels or rain barrels are promoted as a way to save water for the environment. They sit under a gutter downspout. A customary water barrel size is 55 gallons. Each barrel has a drain plug near its bottom, and a hose can be connected to the drain to water a garden or lawn. Rain barrels keep a significant amount of water away from foundations, but they can become full in a major storm. They are not recommended for use during winter.