Weather affects our homes in serious, sometimes destructive ways. Gutters can help protect your most important investment.

Water has a profound effect on a home’s stability. If water is not correctly corralled and guided away from the foundation, it can weave its way into cracks and crevices and eventually penetrate the slab, or foundation, of your home. This is why guttering should be important to you, and why this is one home feature that shouldn’t be overlooked when outside home repairs are needed.

Gutters are one of the most simple forms of home-protection.

Only a fraction of Americans live in arid states like Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas, where traditional gutters aren’t as necessary due to weather conditions, but don’t be fooled; guttering alternatives still exist in even the driest of places.

Gutters prevent a lot of issues from forming in and around the house, beginning with the overall structural integrity of our homes.  They prevent water problems in basements and crawl spaces by rerouting hundreds of gallons away from the foundation. By extension, this protects exterior walls from staining, rotting, or premature weathering.

They also protect flora around our homes. Routing excess down and away from your yard prevents water from saturating soil, breaking down much needed nutrients for plants and trees. Too much water can, in fact, kill plants, grass, and shrubs.

Finally, gutters driveways, sidewalks, and concrete slabs. Excessive water in these areas can cause them to sink and crack, which causes you even more money in the long run.

The working parts:

• Roof – A well-designed roof drains all rainwater into the gutters or roof drains.
• Gutter– Gutters capture roof drainage and direct water to downspouts.
• Downspouts– Pipes that carry water from the gutters to the drain system.
• Drainage System– The underground system connected to your downspouts that lead water away from your and into a storm drain.

Maintaining Your Gutter System

Just like numerous other parts of your home, your gutter system will need some maintenance. And whether you do it yourself, or hire a licensed contractor, you should always lay out a solid plan of action. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Trim or remove tree limbs that hang over your roof. While most trees shed their leaves in the fall, evergreens shed year round. Either way, you’re making your guttering work overtime. Gutter guards are very helpful!
• Your roof’s integrity is highly dependent on your shingles. If you’re able, remove debris from your roof with a soft broom or leaf blower. Never pressure wash your shingles.
• Routinely clean your gutters and downspouts, and repair them as needed.
• Downspouts have a habit of working their way out of place. Make sure each one diverts water into the correct drainage system, and that the water runs away from your home.

The point is of guttering is comes down to the serviceability, and subsequent stability, of your home. By installing and routinely servicing your guttering, you’ll be less likely to have other problems with your home in the future.