Town Crier Articles

Does the rain runoff pool a little too close to your foundation or walkways for comfort? Does rain wash out your mulch bed onto the lawn? Well it could be your downspout, downspout block or lack of one or both. Some of them do go missing! Do you know where your downspout is?

 

Your gutters carry the water and debris that washes off the roof, but your downspouts do the rest of the work. Without them, all that water would drain at the base of your home, which can compromise the foundation. This can also create poor conditions for landscape crews working in the area passing through with mowers.

 

Inspect gutters and downspouts for rust, leaks, holes or corroded joints. Repair compromised issues, and replace any downspouts that are bent out of shape or beyond repair.

 

Often rocks placed at the end of downspouts need to be raked up or refreshed periodically. This can make a big difference in how rain water distributes at ground level. Take this opportunity to consider downspout extenders if necessary to provide better drainage and to avoid creating voids in the ground at the end of downspouts.

 

If your mulch bed edge doesn't seem to be holding the mulch in place after rain, your edging may be too shallow. You can use a half moon or square edge shovel or spade to create the depth you like, generally about 3-3.5" will work well.