Should All Homes Have Gutters and Downspouts?
Not all homes need a gutter system. Gutters aren’t required in desert-like climates that get little rainfall. Homes in states like Arizona and Nevada may not need gutters, but the rest of us do. Gutters play an essential role in diverting water away from the home for the majority of homes within the United States and Canada.
But what happens if a home doesn’t have gutters? Or, what happens when your gutters get clogged? Find out why your gutter system plays an integral role in the health of your home.
Why Are Gutters So Important?
Your home’s gutters are responsible for reducing water and moisture damage. They work to divert water away from the foundation of your home, eliminating costly home damages. Here’s why rain gutters are so important:
• Prevent water damage
• Prevent water staining on brick and stone masonry
• Preserve exterior doors and garage overhead doors
• Foundation problems can be avoided
• Flooding under houses and in basements can be prevented
• Erosion can be prevented
• Preserve landscaping and the soil around your home
Properly Installed Gutters
In order to be effective, your home should have seamless gutters on every sloped edge. The gutters should be pitched properly, should be free of holes and gaps, and securely fastened to your fascia board.
Your properly installed gutter system should also include downspouts that are securely fastened to the exterior of the house. It’s important for your downspouts to point at least three feet away from the base of your home. This will ensure that water isn’t pooling around your foundation.
Common Gutter Problems
Part of being a homeowner means that you’ll need to regularly inspect your gutters for damage. Some of the common gutter problems your system could face are:
• Improperly pitched gutters: In order for water to flow away from your home, your gutters need to be pitched toward the downspouts. If not, standing water will accumulate in your gutters.
• Clogged Gutters: If left neglected, your gutters and downspouts can become so clogged with debris that they will no longer be able to channel water away from the foundation of your home. For more, learn how to clean downspouts.
• Sagging Gutters: Your gutter hangers, the hardware that secures the gutter to the fascia, may have deteriorated or may be spaced too far apart to support the weight of full gutters. Or, your sagging gutters could be a result of clogged gutters.
• Gutter Leaks and Holes: The joints in leaky gutters can cause water to gather around the base of your home. After a while, this can contribute to serious foundation and structural issues.
Gutter Maintenance
Unfortunately, in order to be effective at preventing water damage, your gutters need to be clear and clog-free. Homeowners have to be vigilant in keeping up with their gutter maintenance. If you wait until they are full of leaves and clogged, you are waiting too long. Clogged gutters can cause water to leak into your home, contributing to costly home damages.
To keep your gutters clean and clog-free, you’ll have to climb the ladder multiple times per year, which can be dangerous and time-consuming. Fortunately, LeafFilter provides a permanent solution to clogged gutters, so you can spend less time worrying about gutter cleaning and more time on the things you love!
Keep your Gutters Clear with LeafFilter Gutter Protection
With LeafFilter, you can avoid common gutter problems and the damage of clogged gutters with our one-of-a-kind gutter guard solution. Once installed onto your existing gutters, LeafFilter prevents clogged gutters and keeps your home safe from water-related damages.
With a lifetime, transferable money-back guarantee, you can enjoy the peace of mind that your gutters are protected for life. Request a free estimate from LeafFilter today!
