Spring is in full force here in the Heartland (hooray)! Most of Missouri and Kansas are already starting to see quite a warmup in temperatures from overnight lows to afternoon highs steadily climbing week by week. While the warmup in temperature is a delight, we are about to enter the Heartland’s rainy season which typically runs from May-August with June bringing the most rainfall.
The Farmer’s Almanac has predicted that the Heartland will experience less rainfall than our average spring and summer totals, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see heavy rainfalls and thunderstorms that bring heavy precipitation.
While rain is a welcomed weather event to naturally water our gardens and cool things down a bit, heavy rainfalls can cause damage to your home especially if you’re not prepared. Follow the tips below on how to prepare your home for the Heartland’s rainy season to keep things a little drier this spring and summer.
Gutters Must be Operating at Peak Performance
We truly can’t stress this enough – for your home to properly flush and drain rainwater away from your home’s foundation then your gutters must be operating at peak performance. Keeping your home’s gutter system in tiptop shape keeps your home dier, period. You may be wondering what some signs are that your gutters aren’t operating at peak performance.
For a gutter system to work properly, it needs to do two things: collect rainfall from the home’s roof and direct that rainfall to downspouts that carry the water and ultimately drain it away from your home’s foundation. A gutter system can’t properly collect and drain water if it’s not working well. Signs that your gutter system isn’t operating at peak performance could be any number of things:
- Overflowing gutters
- Cracks in the foundation
- Puddles that collect around your home’s exterior like doors and the home’s foundation
- Bent gutters
- Standing water inside of gutters
All of the above indicators of a gutter system that isn’t working properly can lead to all sorts of damage including foundation damage, interior leaks, and damage to your home’s roof. To keep your home safe from heavy precipitation during this year’s rainy season, you’ll need to ensure your gutters are operating at peak performance.
Better yet, you may want to consider installing the K-Guard Clog Free Gutter System. Our gutter system offers many benefits, one of them being that our large downspouts can handle a minimum of 22 inches of rain per hour whereas traditional gutters are too small to properly drain heavy rainfall.
Ensure Your Roof is in Good Shape
The first part of a home that rainfall touches is the roof so it’s best to make sure that your roof is in good shape before the start of the rainy season. If you’re like the average homeowner and have an asphalt shingle roof then its lifespan is around 20 or so years, generally speaking.
There are, however, other indicators that your roof may not be in the best shape, thus may not be able to handle heavy amounts of rainfall. These indicators include the following: warped shingles, missing shingles, pieces of gutter or asphalt granules that escape through the gutter, etc. Take a moment to inspect your home’s roof safely from the ground and if you notice any issues or if you know the roof is nearing that 20-year mark then contact a roofing company.
Repair Existing Leaks & Look for New Ones
While it may seem obvious, any existing leaks should be fixed before the start of the rainy season to ensure they don’t get worse. In addition to fixing existing leaks, you’ll also want to inspect your home for signs of new leaks.
Signs of leaks can be found near your roof, walls, and in your basement. To search your home for new leaks, inspect your ceilings, attic, and walls and look for signs of leaking like discoloration, a musty odor, sagging, etc. You don’t want to find yourself having to deal with multiple leaks or leaks that worsen due to the upcoming rainy season as more damage to your home could occur.
Trim Trees Surrounding Your Home
Keeping trees that surround your home trimmed and pruned can aid in keeping pests out of your gutter system, but can also keep your home safer and drier during the rainy season. Because of the heavy rainfalls and high winds that we can experience during the spring and summer months, trees with branches that are too long can cause more damage to your home.
Be sure to have trees that surround your home pruned so that branches don’t snap or cause damage to your home due to the strong wind gusts the rainy season can bring. There are plenty of arborists and tree care companies that can trim trees without causing damage to the tree itself.
By doing any of the chores above your home will be better protected from the upcoming rainy season. If you’re interested in learning more about the K-Guard Gutter System or if you have any questions, contact us today. We offer free in-home estimates that include a detailed analysis of your current gutter system along with estimated costs for installing your K-Guard Clog Free Gutter System.
Stay dry!
