Happy Monday Cincinnati!
We have seen plenty of damage over the years from the improper routing of downspouts. We have an example here. The downspouts were run through the top of the deck and turned to run out beyond the deck. This is fairly common. Unfortunately, what is also common is the downspout sections were not secured together and the long runs on the underside of the deck were not supported or secured in any way. Given that this is something that we often don’t pay attention to (or remains hidden), this practice allows the downspouts to slip out of place. In this case, over time, the downspouts began to run uphill as the components slipped out of place. This caused water to pond at the foundation causing leaks and the deck and stairs to sink. Keeping your drainage system in good working order is one of the least expensive maintenance items of your home, and also can help avoid some of the most costly types of repairs.
