Why Do I Need Gutters?

Over time, homes without gutters or with faulty gutters can become damaged due to the moisture penetration near their foundation. Foundation problems can be avoided by simply installing reliable seamless gutters, with LeafCo Gutters, to your home.

The purpose of gutters and why you need them

When water washes down the sides of your roof, it has to go somewhere. A well-functioning gutter and downspout channel water away from your home to protect it from costly damages including expensive, time-consuming foundation problems. By directing water away from your home, you avoid the erosion of the ground that surrounds your home. Rain gutters are secured to your roof and are typically made of aluminum, copper, or plastic.

How to know if your home needs gutters

Here are some questions to ask to discover if your home needs gutters.

1. Do we get a lot of rain in our area?

If you live in an arid location with very little rainfall, you may not need gutters. But if you live in a place where it rains often, gutters are not an option; they are a must. Gutters and downspouts help you direct the water away from your home. Avoid damage from frequent rain storms by installing quality gutters.

2. Do I have a roof overhang that’s over 10 inches?

When a roof overhang is less than 10 inches, you need to install gutters to protect your home from moisture damage. Don’t allow the ground directly below your roof (adjacent to your home) to get saturated, or you’re asking for trouble. Protect your home’s walls from rain damage with quality gutters.

3. Is my home fully surrounded by concrete?

If your home is 100% surrounded by concrete (sidewalk, driveway, or patio), then it has ample coverage and protection from moisture damage without a gutter system. Have your roof inspected to verify if you need gutters or not. And if your home isn’t completely surrounded by concrete, it’s important to have gutters installed.

4. Which direction does the ground around my home slope?

If the ground slopes away from your home, it will help water drain away from your home. If the ground surrounding your home doesn’t slope away on all sides of your home, gutters should be installed to prevent moisture damage. When surrounding landscape slopes upward, meaning your home is at the bottom of slope on at least one side, water can pool at your home’s foundation—above and below ground. The water needs to be directed away from your home via gutters and downspouts.

5. Is my home surrounded in red clay?

Ground made up of red clay can pose problems. If water isn’t directed away via gutters and downspouts, it can get to your home’s foundation. The water penetrated clay becomes a channel that delivers moisture to the same place repeatedly. This can result in costly foundation problems. Avoid this hassle by simply installing gutters and downspouts, and directing water away from your home.

Advantages of having seamless gutters and gutter guards installed

1. Prevent erosion

Without gutters, gutter guards, and downspouts, rain streams down your roof and falls straight to the ground, causing erosion of the soil. When soil erodes away, and rain falls again, water can begin pooling around your home. Pooling water is a result of saturated soil, and can lead to expensive foundation damage. When water flows toward your home due to erosion, instead of away from it, your foundation can begin to settle. Uneven floors and cracked walls can result.

2. Protect your siding

Without gutters, rain falls freely off your roof and can stream down your siding. If rainwater carrying leaves, dirt, and tiny asphalt shingle particles consistently comes into contact with your siding, your siding can become stained and your home’s curb appeal can be hindered significantly. If your siding is made of wood, it can eventually lead to wood rot and moisture penetration in your siding. This can cause costly repairs to become necessary. When siding gets holes in it, pests can infiltrate and cause damage.

3. Avoid foundation trouble

If you don’t have gutters, every time it rains, water pools around your foundation and eventually damages it.

4. Prevent flooding in your home

Water pooling around your home due to lack of gutters saturates soil and makes it super heavy. This can create pressure on your foundation. If you have a basement, this can cause your walls to push inward or even crack. Cracks in your foundation open the door to water penetrating or even flooding your basement, and mold and mildew can result.

Potential damages from not having gutters

• Saturated soil
• Soil erosion
• Water pooling
• Foundation damage

Common myths about gutters

Some people think gutters create ice dams during the winter.

Actually, ice dams are not due to gutters. They’re caused by problems with your attic or crawl space. Poor ventilation or insulation are likely the culprit, and could damage your roof whether you have gutters or not.

When properties have lots of trees, clogged gutters result.

Lots of trees on your property doesn’t have to cause damaging clogs in your gutters. The simple remedy for debris potentially clogging gutters is to install gutter guards. These reliable, secure covers allow water to enter your gutters freely, but keep the debris out. Gutter covers also keep birds from building nests in your gutters, saving you time and money in the long run.

Some people think gutters will ruin the fascia boards of your roof.

These boards support your roof’s overhang. If gutters aren’t installed correctly, they can cause water to splash on these boards during storms, and they can rot as a result. The good news is that properly installed gutters won’t do this. If your home already has gutters, and boards rot, simply have them replaced. It’s an inexpensive fix compared to foundation problems.

Gutter installation

At LeafCo, our experienced installation professionals give great attention to detail so your gutters perform well for years to come. See how we can help you with gutter installations.