A dry home is a happy home - down spout placement

Down spout discharging too close to the home.

Moisture intrusion in the crawlspace in the same corner as the down spout.

When I am conducting a home inspection, one of the most common issues I find are down spouts that discharge water too close to the home. Gutters are designed to direct water collected from the roof and move it away from the home to keep its foundation and exterior dry. Literally hundreds of gallons of water can be collected at the roof and deposited right next to the foundation with too short of a downspout. In this scenario the soil surrounding the foundation and exterior of the home becomes saturated and migrates next to and under the foundation and left unchecked can cause significant foundation and moisture related issues. 

Pro Tip - Ensuring that each down spout is 2 to 3 foot long and the landscaping slopes away from the home can save untold stress and  financial loss.