Rain Gutters and Your House – Part 1

If you’re living in a region where when it rains it really pours; then you need to have good rain gutters installed. In the absence of rain gutters, the rainwater will damage the siding and the foundation of your home. When the siding starts to go, it will affect electrical wiring and lead to the growth of harmful mold in the gaps where water seeps in. If the foundation starts to develop cracks, then the first to go will be the basement and then the seepage will spread all around. Both situations call for serious repairs and these will come at a heavy cost.

Apart from these mid-to-long term damages you also need to consider the possibility of water accumulating on the roof and widening small cracks there. Proper water drainage is important if you wish to keep the interiors free from wetness. All components of your house such as walls, doors, windows, etc are susceptible to damage if you do not have rain gutters installed.

Gutters are available in a wide variety of shapes and designs. The primary function of all is to channel water away from the house. Gutters are made from materials such as wood, aluminum, and steel. In areas where storm showers and heavy rains occur, gutters take a pounding and hence need to be sturdy.

Wood is practically out of contention because not only is it expensive, it is least resistant to water and also requires a lot of maintenance. Gutter maintenance can be tricky, you are working on the edges of the roof and you want to avoid overdoing this dangerous maintenance job as much as possible. In fact this is the reason that you should have not have trees overhanging the gutters so that removing dried leaves etc does not become a regular chore. You should consider installing gutters with gutter shutters or jackets; this will prevent debris from falling into your gutter and choking it.

At the same time it will allow the rainwater to flow into the gutters. Thick gutters made from non-recycled aluminum are very resilient. Vinyl gutters that can be snapped into place are easy to install and good for those who fancy their DIY skills. An advantage with vinyl gutters is that they don’t distort and even if they do the dent can easily be popped back into place.


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