Why We Need Rain Gutters

Most water damage caused by rain will start around the roof structure fascia soffit and foundation.

Why we need rain gutters.

With the rain gutters the rain will just flow off your roof washing away soil each time it rains causing soil erosion. Gutters act as a safe pathway for rainwater to flow away from the roof into the downspouts and to the downspout extension. They are designed specifically to reduce erosion by guiding water to a drain or safe area. Your rain gutter system is designed to move rain water away from these areas to protect your home.

The rest of us need a good system to collect the storm water that lands on our roofs and directs the collected water away from the house. Gutters are the horizontal metal usually aluminum part of the system that are usually installed along the eave edges of your roof or along roof features like dormers. Gutters have a limited capacity and may overflow although they still effectively remove a large volume of water. When your roof has an overhang of at least 6 inches past your homes walls here are 2 options.

Millions of feet of gutter are installed each year throughout the country yet there is very little information available to educate or guide consumers when they re installing or replacing gutters. Water tends to scatter everywhere if not funneled properly. This is one of the reasons why you should have gutters installed professionally. In many parts of the country rain gutters are an absolute must and are integral in keeping water out of basements and preventing damage to homes.

Without gutters rainwater soaks the soil. Besides protecting the roof and the overall structure of your home rain gutters also prevent soil erosion and protects your garden beds. Understanding rain gutters the basic function of a gutter is to provide a channel for redirecting water. The goal of gutters is to move rain water away from your home before any problems occur.

Erosion also causes the foundation to settle. Rain gutters are small but critical components of a building s roofing system and a long term investment in the infrastructure of your home. If rain flows off your roof because you have no gutters the water causes massive erosion washing away more and more soil each time it rains. This causes your carefully sloped landscape to wear down allowing runoff to flow toward your home instead of away from it.

There aren t a lot of alternatives to gutters as even a good slope can be eroded over time by the water beating down.