Rain Gutters are designed to protect the foundation of your home or a building. They channel rainwater away from your home to reduce the risk of erosion, leaks in the basement, protects the pain on your home and even your landscaping.

As you can see Rain Gutters are very beneficial and helps protect you greatest assess…your home!

Rain Gutters are great but all that water needs a place to go, it can’t just sit up there in the gutters.

This is where the downspouts come into play.

The Importance of Gutter Downspouts

The downspout is a pipe that carries rainwater from the gutter down to the ground or down to a rain barrel that collects the water.

You want to make sure these downspouts are positioned on the corners of the house and pointed away from the foundation.

I can’t tell you how many times we have walked the outside of a client’s home and noticed an area around the foundation, or exterior wall of the home experiencing erosion problems because the downspout was not pointed away from the home. This is caused by the water pressure coming out of the end of the downspout and washing away the dirt/grass from in front of the downspout.

The best way to explain it is to think of the Colorado River and how it made the Grand Canyon. Get the picture?

A gutter downspout in time and with a lot of water can do the same thing to your yard and even go as far as washing away the foundation of the home creating settlement and structural issues. Something we don’t like to see when inspecting homes.

An excess of water around the foundation can cause many other problems besides erosion. Homes are very heavy and here in Central Florida, the ground is only sand. If the ground has a high water content, the weight of the home will settle into the wet sand and create structural and settlement issues as well.

Many of the issues we see in inspections from high water amounts in the soil are the cracks in the exterior wall covering stucco and concrete block mortar joints. Stucco is only a thin layer of cement and with only slight movement it will crack. Typical cracks in the stucco are hairline cracks and do not represent an issue as long as water is not having access through the crack.

The downspouts extended away from the foundation by three to five feet will keep the foundation dry and greatly decrease these cracks as long as the slope of the ground does not flow the water back toward the home and the area has proper drainage.

If the area does not have proper drainage, then a French drain may be an alternative to extending the downspouts.

Types of Rain Gutters

If you’re in the market for rain gutters there are several different types that you might be interested in. It all depends on what your needs are, your budget, your climate and your preference. We’ve listed the main types of gutter below.

If you are doing restoration work then Copper or Wood is going to be your best bet.
If you’re looking for durable, long lasting and a price for those on a budget then Aluminum is the way you want to go.

• Aluminum – most commonly used gutters, very durable, come in many colors and do not rust
• Vinyl - easy to install, great for the do-it-yourselfers, can discolor over time, crack with ladders and in cold weather.
• Stainless Steel - very strong and indestructible, anti-corrosive element, no rusting, are expensive
• Galvanized Steel - strong and durable, come in already painted, various types of steel, cost and longevity a big concern plus it’s heavy to work with
• Copper - usually used for classic restoration, strong, durable, should use professional to install, much more expensive then other gutters
• Wood - usually used for restoration work, brings beauty to a home, needs lots of maintenance, expensive

Alternatives to Downspouts

More and more often we are starting to see Rain Chain Downspouts, which are becoming a very favorable alternative to the old hum drum gutter downspouts.

These chains give a whole new meaning to keeping the water away from your house by doing it so elegantly and decoratively.

Believe it or not Rain Chains actually came from the Japanese who would use these chains mainly for decoration but also to guide the water from their roofs into a rain barrel to use for the household. They also used them on temples and homes to add character and functionality to both places.

It’s just been in the last decade, really since Japan hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics that rain chains, also know in Japanese as kusari-toi or kusari-doi (meaning chain gutter), that they have become so popular in the United States.

Don’t let these beautiful chains fool you. They are just as durable, efficient and effective as a regular downspout but are much more decorative and calming while enhancing the beauty of your home .

Check out the Best Selling Rain Chain Downspouts and decorate your home with the sound of rushing water today.

Decorate your Gutter Downspouts

Who says you can’t decorate those aluminum downspouts?

You can decorate it with some really cute or sophisticated designs that go with the overall design of your home.

Decorative downspout extensions are also a nice way to spruce up your yard. There are designs to fit most anyone”s taste.

No matter how pretty and interesting you make your gutters and downspouts, remember the important thing is to get the water away from the foundation of the home without creating your own personal Grand Canyon.

Check out some of these cool designs and start decorating your gutter downspouts
today!

That’s right, in the state of Florida there was no law that said you had to become certified to start a Home Inspection Company Orlando FL.  This left a lot of companies calling themselves Home Inspectors when all they were is licensed as a business. In 2010 the state of Florida changed the requirements to become a licensed and certified home inspector in Florida. They made it mandatory for you to pass a 120-hour course of study that covers a home’s structure, electrical system, HVAC system, roof covering, plumbing system, interior components, exterior components, and site conditions that affect the structure. Follow the link to view the requirements to become a Home Inspector Orlando FL.

BEWARE ~ This new law allowed those with just a business license to prove they had performed 120 home inspections to be grandfathered in. What that means is the same home inspector that only had a license and no experience other than the 120 home inspections performed are still allowed to perform Home Inspections in Florida.

Questions to ask a Home Inspector Orlando FL

What education and experience does the Home Inspector Orlando Fl. have besides the certification?

Between John & Bill they have over 30 years combined experience in all areas of building and remodeling. Both have gone through extensive training to become a Home Inspector Orlando FL and know what it takes to inspect properties.

Does the home inspector carry Error & Ommisions and General Liability Insurance?

Error & Ommisions is important because if the home inspector does not disclose something and you purchase the home only to find out that something went majority wrong it will be covered under the error and ommissions insurance.

General Liability covers the home inspector as well as the home owner if the inspector should get injured or damages property at the time of the inspection.

Do they check everything or a representative number of items such as all outlets or just some outlets?

Many certification organizations tell you that you only have to check a “representative” number of outlets, windows, doors and other items. We check EVERY outlet, EVERY window and EVERY door. We had a situation where we checked every outlet in the kitchen of a client’s home and due to improper wiring the outlet blew up our outlet tester and actually started a fire.
Imagine if we had only done a “representative” number of outlet checks and that was not one of the outlets we checked? This is why we check them ALL!

How long have they been in business and how many home inspections have they performed?

With Bill and John’s thorough knowledge they are able to give their clients a proper understanding of what needs repair, how it should be repaired and a general idea of the cost while easing their clients fears. We have been in business since 2005 performing over 3,000 home inspections. In those years we have never missed an item on a report and have saved many real estate deals.

By asking these questions BEFORE you hire a Home Inspector Orlando FL you will have a better sense of just who will be inspecting your home. You’ll know how much experience they have, if they are covered by their insurance, what is included in the home inspection, how long they have been a home inspector and how many home inspections they have performed.

Trust A Thorough Inspection to be your home inspector Orlando Fl.

Call us Today! (407) 476-0257

Step 1. From the lowest point of the area of the flooding area, you want to dig down to where the top of the catch basin is even with the top of the soil.

Step 2. The drainage ditch should be dug approximately 18” wide and slope downward at 1” per every 12 feet. This will give a gradual flow of water through the pipe without causing erosion from fast moving water. You should have at least a 12 foot drain line and upwards of 18-20 feet for areas with larger flooding.

The ditch should be approximately 2 inches deeper than the pipe attachment part of the catch basin.

Step 3. Lay gravel in trench

Step 4. The filter sleeve goes over the perforated pipe to keep the drainage holes from filling with dirt. The Pipe should be placed in the trench and attached to the connection area of the catch basin.

Step 5. So that you do not knock the pipe off the catch basin you want to carefully add the gravel to cover the pipe. Be sure to add gravel at least 2 inches past the end of the pipe opposite the catch basin. This will ensure that when water flows through the pipe it does not cause a wash out but it deterred by the gravel.

Step 6. Replace top soil over the drain line.

Illustration of French Drains

Following are illustrations of proper and improper installs of French Drains.

French Drain Properly Installed

French Drain Improperly Installed

• Brevard County
• Flager County
• Lake County
• Orange County
• Osceola County
• Polk County
• Seminole County
• Volusia County

If you live in any of these counties A Thorough Inspection would be honored to perform your inspection needs.

Unlike most home inspection companies, we inspect homes as if we are buying them. When a home inspector gets certified, they teach them to inspect a “representative” number of items. We do not agree with this. What if the inspector doesn’t check something and it does not work properly? We check every outlet, light switch, door, window, nook and cranny. Inspections are also taught to be visual only. We don’t agree with that either. We take the covers off of your electric panel to make sure the property is wired correctly, and take the cover off of the air handler to make sure your air conditioner is in proper working order and the coils are clean.

2. How long have you been practicing in the home inspection profession and how many inspections have you completed?

We have been performing Home Inspections in the Central Florida and surrounding areas since 2005. However, both of us come from the building industry building home from the ground up and remodeling homes. We have done over 8000 home inspections and every one thorough. We stay on top of an always changing industry with continuing education and any knowledge that will benefit our clients.

3. Are you specifically experienced in residential inspection?

Bill’s experience is primarily in new construction. He was a superintendant overseeing all areas of construction on multi million dollar parade of homes mansions, to 1100 sq.ft. single family homes. His experience is invaluable with knowing the correct methods of building construction. He comes from a family of General contractors, master electricians, and master plumbers.

John’s experience is in every aspect of remodeling and restoration. He has bought and sold over 80 homes and has remodeled every aspect of a home with knowledge on the proper methods and materials to use. Together this team of home inspector’s knowledge is at the top of the business.

4. Do you offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection?

Our answer to this is no. It is a conflict of interest to do repairs on a home that we have inspected. Our certification with the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors actually forbids us from doing repairs. Beware of inspection companies that offer to do repairs!!!

5. How long will the inspection take?

We understand that people’s time is valuable and we take that into consideration on every home inspection.  However, with each home there are different circumstances that come into play.  The time it takes for our inspections varies on how much is wrong with the property being inspected, the year of the home, how big it is, does it have a crawl space, do we have access to the attic and so on. We also like to have our clients there because if there are problems found we try to diagnose the problem and give you all the information about the cause and repair. This way, you as our client, have complete knowledge to decide if the problem is a major issue or something that can be dealt with.

6. How much will it cost?

The cost of the inspection varies due to the size, age, construction and location of the home. We do have a $150 minimum for a complete home inspection and we average $.10 sq/ft. for the gross square footage, which is total area under the roof, of a home. We believe in an honest days pay for an honest days work, without all the up selling techniques to scam as much money as possible from people.

7. What type of inspection report do you provide and how long will it take to receive the report?

Our reports are computer generated with high resolution photos in the report. A sample copy of our report can be found >>> HERE <<<
The report is usually emailed within 24 hours.

8. Will I be able to attend the inspection?

Absolutely. We like having our clients there. When our client is there, it gives us the opportunity to go over everything that was found and answer any questions that you may have.

9. Do you maintain membership in a professional home inspector association?

Yes, we are certified through the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors. Beware of inspectors that have multitude groups that they belong to. Many times this is done as an attempt to impress you into using them. Associations do not necessarily equal knowledge and experience. Many of these groups just charge a association fee and the home inspector is looking to impress with the groups instead of their abilities. The National Association of Certified Home Inspectors is at the top of the industry standards.

10. Do you participate in continuing education programs to keep your expertise up to date?

Yes, we both go beyond the required continuing education requirements for certification. When something new comes up in the industry, we thoroughly investigate and learn about it to better our ability to give our clients the most up to date knowledge that is available.

Over the years of doing Roof Inspections we have come across many reasons why a roof might leak but there are 5 that we continuously see time after time.

Wood rot caused from an exposed rusted nail head on roof

1. Nail heads that are exposed

Although the damage is minimal if caught early, unsealed nail heads rust and shrink allowing water to go through the nail hole and can cause major wood rot of the roof decking and drywall damage on the interior ceilings as well as cause attic insulation to compress and become not very efficient.

2. Clogged gutters

These are the next biggest areas of roofing leaks and wood rot on the soffit and fascia boards as well as the roof decking and interior sheet rock damage. When the rain water does not exit the gutters through the down spouts, the water over flows the gutters and washes into the gutter fastener holes and the roof edge between the shingles and the drip edge of the flashing and begins to rot the wood. Once it gains entry to contact unpainted and unsealed wood, it begins to grow a fungus that causes the wood to start to decay and rot.

3. Solar panels, satellite dishes

Any sort of roof penetrations are areas of concern and opens up the door for possible roof leaks. Many penetrations into the roof decking are sealed by a roofing tar or other sealant however, these sealants are only guaranteed between 2-5 years. The sun will dry these materials over time and they will harden and shrink. When this happens, the area that the sealant was protecting then becomes vulnerable to leaking.

4. Bad roofing designs

You might think that a roofing design created by an architect would be well thought out and constructed to be efficient in keeping the house safe from water intrusion. In our years of experience we find this to be true most of the time. Many times however it is the very design of the roof that causes the roof to leak. When water is directed to an area where it is not being forced off the roof by gravity, the water will pond (build up) or seep into any opening that will give it access to enter into the roofing material and start to cause rotting of the wood.

5. Chimneys and skylights

Because the water collects at the edge of the roof intrusion, it is not directed around the chimney or skylight in order to exit the roof. As the water collects at the edge, it begins to seep between the flashing and the shingles until it makes its way to the roof decking and begins to rot the wood.