An average roof sheds 1,000 gallons of water for every inch of rain that falls. Today you'll learn about new gutter care improvements that keep all that rainwater out of your basement! Rainwater first has to make it into your gutters. If they are not well-fitted to your home, water just runs down exterior walls. If gutters are clogged with leaves and debris, they overflow and saturate walls and nearby soil. Downspouts that don't extend far enough away from the house soak foundation walls as well as adjacent soil. For the latter, attach downspout extensions with ?spashblock? channels to carry water three feet or more away from your home. If extensions aren't practical or desirable, bury drainpipes to carry water away to open drainage, or force water into large perforated plastic trash cans buried eight to ten feet away from the foundation. With screening to keep both downspouts and below-grade drain holes clear, thousands of gallons of water won't be a problem!