Drainage Problems

This case takes place in San Francisco, where a man named Joseph Eichler changed the face of housing by mass-producing affordable, architect-designed, modernist homes in the 1950s. Their classic design has made these homes a hot commodity half a century later. But time has taken its toll on many of the homes known simply as "Eichlers". This property is an original 1950 Eichler in Walnut Creek, Calif., east of San Francisco. The house detective is Matt Cantor, who has inspected nearly 4,000 homes in this area.

Leaves and twigs are the usual culprit when it comes to clogged gutters and outside drains. Failure to remove this material could cause standing water to eventually flood and damage a home. Some telltale signs of problems include water overflowing the gutters during a heavy rain or water pooled on top of an outside drain.

To prevent these problems, cap outside drains with a small mesh screen to keep out debris. Clean out gutters and downspouts at least twice a year by flushing them with water. And install gutter screens and downspout caps to prevent leaves from restricting water flow.

Gutters, downspouts and drains are the first line of defense against water intrusion into your home. Keep them clean and free flowing and they’ll help keep home repairs to a minimum.