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Why Gutters are an Important Part of Any Home

Gutter Downspout on Home Foundation

Your roof and foundation are an important component of your home because they safeguard your home from external elements. The foundation is meant to hold the building secure as it supports the structure and prevents any underground elements from invading. The roof is designed to protect your house from outside debris, pests, and severe weather conditions.

To make sure that your foundation is protected, your roofs gutter and downspouts prevent excess water from eroding the ground close to it, which may eventually compromise the structure.

Here are the highlights on why you need to have a functional gutter system in your home.

Optimizes Your Roof’s Lifespan

A gutter system that features connecting downspouts collects runoff, which is then directed to a location where it’s intended (exterior drain). For those with wood-frame homes, the process can help prevent water dripping from the leaves from causing long-term rotting damage.

Prevents Landscaping or Soil Erosion

If not funneled properly, water from your roof will scatter everywhere. That’s why you need to have your gutters professionally installed. Gutters act as pathways for rainwater to flow from the roof to the downspouts and finally to an exterior drainage system.

Take note that rainwater should not be redirected to your driveway or garden beds as it can freeze and cause accidents. Every home needs to have a drainage plan so that water is led far away from the house as possible. One of the signs of erosion is when gravel or soil flows into your garden bed or lawn.

Gutters Prevent Siding and Masonry

By directing water far from your residence, downspouts and gutters prevent trickles of water from causing exterior masonry water stains or creating moldy siding. To cut the costs associated with exterior cleaning expenses, a downspout system and gutter offer cost-saving over time.

It’s important to note that regardless of the kind of siding you install they’ll get damaged eventually without gutters in place. Missing gutters mean that rainwater will get near your house and eventually stain and soak everything, including the siding. While there are durable siding materials, nothing lasts forever.

Keeps Your Basement Dry

When water soaks the ground near your foundation, nothing happen, but soon it makes its way to the basement because of the pressure it exerts. To keep your basement flood-free you need to have a timely gutter installation. Water sipping into your basement means the destruction of equipment as well as mold damage. These things will end up costing you thousands of dollars to repair. One of the telltale signs that water is about to take a toll on your basement is visible cracks in the walls.

Beautify Your Home Exterior

Most homeowners install new gutters without giving a lot of thought. What they don’t realize is that there are plenty of gutters you can choose that complement your roof color, siding and the rest of the house. The gutters you choose will either match or camouflage, but the main aim is beautification.

Preserve Roofing Shingles

Gutters which are free from debris allow rainwater to flow through, which means that rainwater doesn’t have to build beneath the roof structure. If this happens, it may damage the roofing material and eventually lead to roof leaks.

Protects Your Foundation

By directing the flow of water to an external drain, the downspout system and gutter help in preserving the lifespan of the residential foundation. Without this roofing component, melting snow and rain sometimes form rivulets of water pouring from the roof to locations adjacent to your residence.

Runoff may collect on a slab or seep into the foundation. There are instances where heavy water flows can lead to shifting soils, which may cause structural problems. The investment you make by having a functional gutter system can yield high returns by preventing structural or foundation issues from developing for many years.

Homeowners don’t want to keep making structural repairs of their houses and other minor adjustments that could be avoided by having a gutter in place. Make significant savings today by having a gutter system that’s tailored to your needs.