What Causes Water Backup From Gutters?

Ice or Snow

• A bottleneck of ice or snow can choke a gutter system and cause a water backup. The distance the water must travel to an outlet before freezing may be too short.

Debris

• Debris such as twigs, pine needles and leaves clogging the gutter's louvers can cause water backup.

Poor Maintenance

• Failing to clear debris on a regular basis, and especially before a big storm, can cause gutters to back up. Also, a gutter's offset fitting may be old and in need of replacement.

Blocked Downspout

• An insufficient downspout size or blocked downspout can make water back up from the gutter.

Too Few Downspouts

• Not enough downspouts swiftly directing water away from your home can cause a gutter backup as well.

Downspout Spacing

• If one outlet is blocked the other outlet may be too far away to compensate for a backup. Downspouts spaced too far apart to suit your location's annual rainfall and temperatures can prevent water from draining properly.