After your roof, your gutters are the single most important item protecting your home. Here is everything you need to know about your gutters and how you can help them be more efficient.
Why does a house need gutters?
When rain runs off your roof, it falls directly down to the ground below. While this may seem innocuous, the water may actually be entering your basement. In fact, during periods of heavy rainfall, water can infiltrate the foundation and flood your basement. Over time, the water infiltration can weaken your foundation and lead to costly repairs.
Gutters channel water away from the edge of your roof and towards downspouts located at the corners of your home. The downspouts are designed to divert water away from your foundation, keeping your basement nice and dry.
What are gutter guards?
In order to avoid clogged gutters, smart homeowners schedule gutter guard installation. Gutter guards are a wire mesh product that attaches to your gutters. The holes in the mesh let the water through, which allows the gutters to function as normal. Additionally, the gutter guards prevent debris and pests from entering your gutter system, stopping clogs in their tracks.
Why are gutter guards important?
While gutters, sometimes called eavestroughs, are helpful in directing water away from your home's foundation, they can easily get clogged with debris. Gutter guards prevent debris from getting stuck in your gutters, including:
- Leaves. No matter what part of the country you live in, deciduous trees can fill your gutters with leaves. Gutters need to be cleared of leaves at least twice a year, in the spring and the fall.
- Toys. Your neighbor's football, baseball, or even Frisbee can get lodged up in your gutters without you even realizing it. A toy lodged in your gutter can create quite a blockage.
- Nests. Birds, bees, and even wasps may view your gutters as a cozy place to build their new home. The Entomological Society of America states that bees will make any "accommodating spot" on your home their permanent nesting space. Unfortunately, getting rid of a bee's nest may result in a few stings.
- Trees. Believe it or not, trees can quickly grow in your gutters when you are not looking. Acorns and other pods that land in your gutters can take root and start to grow. Once they take root, the trees become another clog.
When your home's gutters are clogged, they can no longer perform their water diverting duties. In warm temperatures, the water will flow over the clog and down to the ground below. In colder temperatures, the water combines with the clog to create an ice dam, which can work its way up into your attic and lead to interior water damage.
How are gutter guards installed?
Gutter guard installation is a simple process where the gutter guards are attached securely to your home's gutters. The process can easily be performed by professional installers.
How do you maintain gutters and gutter guards?
While you no longer need to be as fastidious about cleaning your gutters because debris cannot get into your gutters, you do need to check on both your home's gutters and the newly installed gutter guards on a regular basis. If you are not comfortable on your roof or on the top of a ladder, talk to your gutter guard installation crew and ask them to perform a yearly maintenance exam. They need to make sure that both the gutters and the gutter guards are still securely attached and that no edges are bent or broken, preventing the proper flow of water.
In order to protect your home's foundation, you need both gutters and gutter guards. If you don't have gutter guards, talk to a roofing company, such as Gutter Shutter SE WI, about gutter guard installation today.
Very few roofers would say their job is easy. In fact, many describe the work as downright tough! But that does not mean that roofers do not enjoy or value the work that they do. Many workers get satisfaction from working with their hands, and they really enjoy creating a roof from simple materials. They also like the logistical challenges, such as figuring out how to get shingles up on a tall roof, or how to most safely repair a damage gutter. If you'd like to learn more about roofing as a profession, then you've arrived at the right blog.