A downspout screen is essential to any home guttering system. Your gutter and downspout system is a way to get water from the roof of your home and direct it away from the walls and grounds of your house. If you didn't have this system in place, the water would basically run down the sides of your home. When that happens, water can seep into the cracks of the walls and windows causing further damage.

Not to mention that this is one of the main causes of leaking basements roof lines. And without the screens in place, you risk more issues arising from this simple precaution. Leaves and other debris can make it down your downspouts and causing a clog. And when a clog goes unnoticed, your gutters can begin to sag due to the weight of the water and debris backing up. And then the water is redirected to run down along the exterior walls once more. Downspout screens helps to prevent clogs from happening by not allowing the debris to enter the pipes.

You still have to do your regular routine maintenance, but without the worry of a clog resulting from these screens. Installing screens to existing downspouts is fairly easy and affordable. Now all you need to do is to decide if it is going to be a do it yourself project or will you pay someone to come in to do it for you. Depending on what kind of drainage system you have, you can purchase premade wedge type downspout screens that fit over the mouth of the pipe that runs into your dry well or place it at the opening of your downspout.

These screens are designed to keep leaves and debris floating away from the downspout opening so that water can run freely. You can install them yourself by using wire mesh which can be purchased at any hardware store. Just be sure that it will resist corrosion from the outside elements. With the materials in hand then you will head to the roof, detach the downspout from the guttering and wall claps, and clean it.

Once it is cleaned and the pipes are free flowing, cut the wire mesh a little bit bigger than the opening of the downspout. Then you apply some adhesive to the inside of the spout. Once that is done you can push the mesh inside the pipe so that it is snugly in place. Then reattach the downspouts.