It is scientifically proven that climate change affects every part of our planet’s ecosystem, including the water cycle. Climate change raises the risk of heavy rains and extreme droughts, and since precipitation is extremely dependent on temperature, changes in it can have huge consequences on the water cycle.
It is no mystery that global temperatures are continuing to rise at a steady, yet fast rate. This increase directly affects water vapor concentrations, clouds, precipitation patterns, and stream flow patterns, which are all related to the water cycle.
Water and Your Gutters
The water cycle involves the evaporation of water from the land and sea, which eventually falls to earth as rain and/or snow. When temperatures rise, more evaporation takes place due to the warm air which can hold more moisture. This in return increases the chances of saturation and very heavy rainfalls. Powerful downpours such as these can result in flooding, flash flooding, and storm damage.
Downspouts and Their Role
Intense, powerful downpours are usually fast and brutal. Enough water falls to cause major damage, creating saturating downpours that can affect your gutters in a variety of ways.
- Depending on the size of your gutters and what kind of condition they are in, they may not be designed to handle a large amount of water. As a result, heavy rainfall can stress the system. If this is the case for you, it is recommended that you look into upsizing or replacing your gutters to fight these storms.
- If your gutters are clogged, heavy downpours can dump just enough water to impair your gutters and the surrounding area below. Clogged gutters will cause water to pour over the edge of the gutter instead of doing its original job, which is to allow water to flow properly and to direct water down the downspout away from your home. A large amount of water can cause flooding in your home and/or damages to what is beneath your gutter, such as the foundation or landscaping.
- If you have gutter problem areas, heavy downpours will help expose them. During heavy rainstorms, it will be easy to see the areas of your gutter that is not working correctly. If the center of the gutter is overflowing, then this could mean that you do not have the right number of downspouts. It could also mean that you have a clog somewhere or that your gutter is sagging or damaged. If the overflow is occurring near the downspout, then it is obvious that your downspout is clogged. It is vital that you have a gutter system that works right and is the correct size. Properly controlling large amounts of rain is very important in protecting your home.
If you have noticed that your gutters are not working correctly as they should during heavy storms, then now is the time to address these issues. Precipitation and temperatures are predicted to steadily rise over the next 100 years; therefore, it is important to start preparing now. Water damages can be expensive and time consuming. Contact GutterPros today to have your gutters inspected or to have an estimate completed if you need a new gutter system installed. Now is the time to make sure your gutter system can handle the storms related to climate change!