Texas weather isn’t kind to concrete foundations. Frequent periods of drought followed by the rare torrential rainstorm make the soil around your home swell and shrink. That puts a lot of stress on the concrete foundation, which can create cracks, pressure points, and gaps under the slab.
But seamed gutters can also put a lot of strain on your home’s foundation by letting water fall where it shouldn’t. Here are three ways seamless gutters help direct the flow of water away from your property.
1. Don’t let water dig into the gap between your foundation and the soil.
After a long drought, the soil will pull away from the edge of your concrete foundation as it contracts. Seamless gutters consistently direct water from the roof to the downspouts so it can fall into the gap through cracks or seams. If water pours into the gap, that can destabilize your foundation and make the soil under your home expand in unpredictable patches.
2. Prevent erosion around the perimeter of your foundation.
Even worse, water that falls near your foundation’s edge will carry away even more of that contracted topsoil. This worsens the gap along your foundation, especially if the water is falling in a heavy sheet from your roof’s edge. Seamless gutters are better at safely carrying the water far away from both your foundation and the vulnerable topsoil.
3. Collect water to stop erosion around your property line.
Downspouts and their end attachments direct water away from your foundation. But as the water pours out, it can increase erosion just a few feet away from your home. If your house is already on a hill or moderate incline, that erosion can quickly become dangerous. Collect the water in a rain barrel instead. Not only does that prevent erosion, but you can also repurpose that water for your garden and lawn.
Go to Longhorn Solar Screens to replace your seamed gutters with stronger, last-lasting seamless alternatives.