What is the Purpose of Gutters? Do I Need Them?

Gutters are a vital part of your home. They protect the foundation and exterior walls from water damage, leading to mold, mildew, and rotting wood.

But what is the purpose of gutters?

Gutters work by directing water away from your home through downspouts. This system helps prevent water damage that could cost you thousands in repairs or replacements!

They also provide an excellent deterrent for pests. Pests like mosquitoes, wasps, ants, and cockroaches are attracted by the scent of standing water on your property- you don’t want to attract unwanted guests with a stagnant pool of water under or around your home.

Equally important, gutters help prevent roof leaks. Without gutters directing rainwater off the edge of the roof, the roofing material will likely peel and corrode over time. Unfortunately, that means you’ll have increased costs from replacing damaged shingles that aren’t covered by insurance!

ARE GUTTERS NECESSARY FOR YOUR HOME?

Rain gutters are not required by law on a sloping roof, but roofing professionals recommend them. Gutters are needed on flat roofs to prevent water from pooling and leaks inside the home.

It’s not just a matter of having gutters – they need to be maintained for them to work!

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T HAVE GUTTERS? DO YOU REALLY NEED GUTTERS?

If you don’t have a gutter system, water will run down your home’s exterior walls and pool at the foundation- leading to more extensive damage like:

• • Rotting wood siding
  • Mold or mildew growth along the foundation
  • Standing puddles of water that attract mosquitoes and other pests

Along with the lessened risk of a leaky roof, a quality gutter system offers many benefits!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF GUTTERS?

Overall, rain gutters protect your home against leaks and weathering by directing water away from the foundation and your home.

They also:

• • Prevent significant repairs or replacements if there is a roof leak, gutter overflow, or high winds
  • Protects the exterior walls from rainwater dripping off of eaves
  • Keeps landscaping looking neat by preventing leaves, dirt, twigs, etc.

HOW ARE GUTTERS INSTALLED?

Rain gutters are typically installed onto the roof of your house at a slant. This is done to swiftly direct water away from where it doesn’t belong.

The downspout is placed near the edge on the ground, usually towards the back or side, if there’s enough space. As rainwater flows out of the gutter, it drops into these downspouts and then travels safely into storm drains!

THE GUTTER SYSTEM CAN ALSO BE USED AS A DOWNSPOUT FOR DRAINING EXCESS WATER OFF YOUR PROPERTY.

Gutter overflow is prevented by the spouts attached to gutters and diverts overflowing rainwater away from foundation walls, roofing, siding, landscaping, or any other place where it may cause damage.

A slope in the eaves of your home helps direct all of this running water into the downspouts on either side of the house–a great way to make sure you don’t have standing puddles near your home!

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF RAIN GUTTERS?

Your gutter system can be made of:

• • metal
  • aluminum (a standard selection)
  • vinyl-coated steel
  • copper with steel lugs

There’s also a product called SmartGutter that uses sensors to measure rainwater volume so you can opt-out on days when you know it’ll be dry – this prevents backups in case precipitation comes unexpectedly.

If you’re dealing with faulty gutters in your home or would like to learn more about the gutter installation process, give Roof Solutions & Construction a call today for a free inspection!

Need residential or commercial roofing help? We serve the El Paso, TX area including roofing Las Cruces, NM, Roofing Socorro, TX, Sunland Park, NM, Deming, NM, and Alamogordo, TX!