Why Are Gutters Important For Your House?
There are not many parts of a house that are as neglected as the gutter. Every single homeowner out there needs to be aware of the fact that rainwater can easily wreak havoc and destroy various parts of the structure in the event that rain gutters are not properly installed and maintained. Numerous misconceptions exist when talking about gutters so homeowners make mistakes. Such mistakes cause so much damage as opposed to the real purpose of the gutter: prevent damage.
Why Are Gutters Needed?
According to a highly reputable gutters Denver Co, every single house needs gutters. This is why there are many municipalities where gutters are mandatory for all the new residential constructions. Rain gutters are important because of various reasons, with the following being the most important:
- Soil is stabilized.
- Prevention of flooding in basements and under houses.
- Avoiding foundation problems.
- Preventing erosion while preserving landscaping.
- Preventing water staining on stone and brick masonry.
- Siding water damage is prevented.
- Lessening cracking and settling of driveways, patios and
- Preserving garage overhead doors and exterior doors.
Gutter Maintenance Needs
The only real disadvantage of having rain gutters installed is that they do need maintenance. It is important to clean them whenever needed so that remain in proper working order. When you have gutters it is so easy to simply forget about cleaning them. When grass and weeds grow out of the gutters, damage was already caused. Clogged gutters can cause various problems, like:
- Eaves are damaged by water damming.
- Water ends up leaking inside the house, causing damage to flooring and walls.
- Leaves present in gutters can be a huge fire hazard.
- The presence of standing water can lead to mosquito infestations.
- Gutters are deteriorated so leaks appear.
How often you need to clean the gutters depends on house and location. Some factors that influence the maintenance schedule are proximity to trees, what trees are present and roof slope. Generally, rain gutters should be properly inspected two times per year and cleaned whenever necessary. However, in rare situations you may end up having to clean gutters 2 to 3 times per fall.
Properly Installing Gutters
The most important thing to remember is that most houses that do have gutters do not have a complete and correctly installed system. If you never checked the gutters, it is time to contact a professional to inspect everything and see if something has to be changed. Gutters should never hold standing water and should never leak. Downspouts are needed and they have to be fastened to house exterior in a secure way.
Another thing that needs to be remembered is that the downspout should never terminate too close to home foundation. This really common installation mistake leads to water reaching the foundation. The truth is the best thing you can do is work with a reputable gutter company so that you are 100% confident in the installation of the entire system. Also, these are companies that can be contracted to take care of yearly maintenance, which was already highlighted as being a priority.
