The fall season comes with cooler weather, shorter days, and beautiful fall foliage. The colorful leaves are a pretty sight to see, but with them comes the clean-up of the ones that have fallen into your yard and gutters. Without a proper gutter system, debris such as leaves, tree branches, and more will begin to clog your gutters, which can cause long-lasting issues. Whether you need to install your first gutter system or add a new one, it's vital to understand why gutters play such an essential role in the health and longevity of your home.
What are gutters?
Gutters are usually made of vinyl, copper, steel, or most commonly, aluminum. They are placed around the circumference of your home on the edge of the roof. It's part of a system that diverts water away from your house, an essential for maintaining a healthy home structure. A popular form is a seamless gutter, which is one continuous piece and molded into the perfect shape for your roof. The one-piece system minimizes weak spots for possible leaking and requires less maintenance. The other popular kind is seamed, or sectional gutters. Although affordable, the more seams a gutter has, the more likely it will clog or leak. If you don't have gutters at all, water from the roof can cause issues such as mold growth, foundation cracks, water-damaged wall insulation, massive soil erosion, and more. The safest option is to have a gutter contractor decide what the best solution would be.
How gutters protect the home
Without gutters, homes with large sloped landscapes, high wind, and rain flow can experience siding and roof rot, basement flooding, soil washout and erosion, foundation settlement, leading to uneven floors and cracked walls. Screens, covers, filters, and all-in-one gutter types can assist in protecting your home from one or more of these points:
- Unwanted debris
- Water damage in basement & foundation caused by pooling water
- Mold, mildew, and rotting wood under siding and around window frames
- Insects and critters living inside the gutters
- Soil erosion and landscape washout
Covers allow only water to flow through the gutter, blocking twigs & leaves from entering.
A full gutter and downspout system will help direct and drain rainwater away from your foundation
Gutters direct rainwater away from seeping into your siding and windows
Screens, covers, and filters make it inaccessible for pests to nest and live inside
Water flows away from house siding, instead of dripping down the roof onto the foundation.
Gutter add-ons: gutter guards, downspouts, and extensions
- Gutter Guards
- Downspouts
- Extensions Should be attached to your existing downspout and routed away from your house Protects foundation, lawn, and roof from costly damage
Essential to keeping twigs, debris, pests, and leaves from clogging the gutter
Protect home from mold, roof damage, siding damage, foundation damage, and basement flooding
Takes the water underneath the soil down to the drainage system
They need to be extended away from the home- minimum of 10 feet and placed 5-6 inches below the service
Location matters- if placed in the wrong spot, water can be deposited close to the home's foundation, creating pooling water and soil erosion
How to tell if you need a gutter system
Where you live, how your home is designed, and the weather patterns your area endures can all be determining factors in whether or not your home needs gutters.
Gutters are a must: If a roof has no or only a few inches of overhang
- Water will most likely gather against the foundation
- Downpour on people when entering/exiting the home
Gutters may not be necessary: If a home has a sharply peaked roof with overhang 12 inches or more
- Water will naturally descend away from the home
Gutters are required: If a house is higher than surrounding landscape
- Water is unlikely to pool around foundation
- If a house is lower than the surrounding ground, gutters must act as runoff with great distance from the foundation.
Gutters may be optional: If a home is completely surrounded by concrete
- Concrete is a protective layer between the runoff and the foundation
Could opt-out in installing rain gutters: If you live in a desert climate
Finding the right gutter system contractor for you.
Unless your local contractor says otherwise, installing gutters on your home is highly recommended to help prevent pooling water near the foundation and basement, soil washout and erosion, and more! There is a perfect gutter match for each homeowner- and if you do not have gutters and are wondering if your home needs them, contact a professional gutter contractor today!
