How to prevent gutter overflow

[Reggie]

This is the first year I have noticed a drip line rut in the yard below my gutters.

Is this because of the heavy rains?

Are my gutters too small? I have standard sized gutters, and when I checked the gutters and the drains they are not clogged.

[home improvement guy]

The best solution is to have six-inch gutters and downspouts on your home, but if the roof pitch is steeper than an 8/12 pitch (a 12/12 pitch is a 45-degree angle) there is still a good chance the rainwater can flow past the gutters in a heavy downpour. If you have a covering on your gutters to keep leaves and debris out, this may add to the overflow problem. Make sure your gutters are properly secured, drain toward the downspout and, as a rule of thumb, that you have at least one downspout for every 20-25 feet of gutter. There is no way to overcome a heavy downpour, you just have to maintain the erosion or drip line and hope this is not a yearly event.

More often I have noticed homes where the downspouts end next to the foundation with either plastic or concrete splash blocks. This is not acceptable unless the downspout drains to a well-drained hard surface such as a driveway or patio. It is very important, and code in most jurisdictions, to extend the drains at least five feet from the foundation (International Residential Code Section R801).

When a foundation is planned, the area excavated is at least 2 feet wider than the width of the footings that are to be poured. When construction is complete, the excavated areas are backfilled with loose soils, gravel or other materials. In most cases the soil backfill is not as compacted as it should be and will settle over time. This means runoff water will find its way into the foundation through the loose soils or gravel. The downspouts must be extended away from the foundation and allowed to drain downhill to a ditch, stream or other collection point. Check your downspouts and add drain tiles either on the surface or bury the tiles so that they drain by gravity to daylight.