Problem: Defective, clogged, or nonexistent gutters and downspouts allow roof water to form puddles, or wet the soil near or against basement walls, and enter through cracks or openings in the masonry.

Solution: Install gutters and wherever needed. Keep them free of debris. Where leaves and twigs from nearby trees may collect in a gutter, install a basket-shaped wire strainer over the downspout outlet or place screening across the length of the gutter. Repair gutters and downspouts as soon as the need appears.

To prevent concentration of water at the point of discharge, use a concrete gutter or splash block to carry the water away at a slope of one inch per foot. Also, consider extending downspouts from rain gutters away from the outside foundation. Roof water can also be piped underground to a storm drain, dry well, or surface outlet, fifteen feet or more from the house.