How Do Gutters Work?
What you might not know about gutter systems is that they’re an integral component of your home as they’re responsible for moving rainwater away from your home and its foundation. This helps protect your home from severe water damage.
Among other purposes, your roof is meant to protect your home from the rain by shedding all the water to the gutter systems. Gutters are the horizontal metals are that are usually installed along the edges of your roof. At times, they’re installed along with roof features such as dormers. Gutters are made from different materials, including copper, aluminum, or even plastic, and they come in a variety of sizes.
Fundamentally, gutters are open at the top to help collect rainwater from your roof and direct it to a safer area through downspouts. As mentioned earlier, this diversion is meant to protect your home’s basement and foundation from further water damage. It’s important to note that even the downspouts are fitted with a splash block at the base in order to divert the rainwater from your home.
However, if you’d like to conserve the rainwater, you can always direct the downspouts into water tanks, hoses, or rain barrels. This way, you’ll have water to use when there is scarcity. With this description, you can clearly see that even though gutter systems work are simple, they’re very important when it comes to protecting your home from water damage and conserving rainwater.
Why Are Gutters Necessary?
Rain gutters are necessary as they offer various benefits to your home. These benefits include:
They prevent soil erosion
One of the most significant benefits of installing rain gutters on your roof is that it prevents soil erosion. As a homeowner, it’s essential to understand that the rainwater that falls uncontrollably on your roof has to go somewhere. Without gutters, the high volumes of rainwater that fall on your roof will end up eroding the soil around your home.
This ends up interfering with the integrity of your home’s foundation. Foundation is very expensive to repair and should never be ignored as it can quickly weaken the structure of your home.
They keep the basement dry
One of the most important tasks performed by the gutter system is to direct rainwater away from your home’s basement walls. Without a gutter system, the rainwater will fall on the ground and saturate it. Over time, this water will find its way to your home’s basement and eventually flood it. As a homeowner, you need to note that a wet basement is a recipe for disaster.
A wet basement can easily attract mold and some of the disease-causing germs. Ignoring such a problem will only leave you with a full-blown infestation to deal with. Additionally, a wet basement can also result in a buckled foundation which is very expensive to repair. Even fixing
it can cause other additional problems, such as latent structural faults.
They prevent rot and deterioration
A house without a gutter system is vulnerable to wood rot on the soffit and fascia. This is attributed to the fact that the rainwater exiting your roof ends up finding an opening in your home’s paint and caulking. Rain gutters that have been properly installed and maintained will always keep the rainwater from wood.
How Do You Maintain Gutters?
Over time, rain gutters accumulate dirt, dust, leaves, and debris, and they’re left clogged. When the fallen leaves rot and become humus, instead of clearing the clog, they end up providing a breeding environment for mice and rats. To prevent such problems, you need to ensure that you inspect and clean your gutters at least once a year.
It’s also important to invest in LeafBlaster Pro® gutter guards to prevent debris and leaves from entering the gutters. However, deepening the number of trees surrounding your home, you might need to clean your gutters more often. Most roofing professionals recommend that fall is the best time to clean your gutters.
Additionally, while cleaning your gutters, you also need to inspect for leaks. This is because older gutter seams and joints are usually vulnerable to leaks. Nowadays, there are more durable gutters made from solid sections to minimize the cases of leakages. If you notice any leaks on your gutter system, it’s best to call roofing professionals to help with the repairs.
Some homeowners opt to apply a gutter-sealing spray or caulk, but this is only a temporary solution. You need to hire a roofing company to conduct a thorough inspection and ensure that there aren’t any more roofing problems to deal with.
How Often Should You Replace Gutters?
After you’ve properly installed rain gutters in your home, you don’t need to worry about replacing them regularly. This is because gutters have a lifespan of up to 20 years, provided that they’re regularly cleaned and maintained.
On the other hand, if your gutters start sagging, leaking, or looking visibly damaged, it’s time to think about replacing them. Roofing professionals can continually evaluate the condition of your gutters as they conduct a roof inspection.
Summing Up
You should never doubt whether installing gutters in your home is necessary. Instead, focus on understanding the benefits they offer to your home. Are you looking to install or replace your rain gutters? Contact us today at Complete Exteriors and let us provide you with reliable gutter installation services.
