Gutters: When to Choose Them, When to Forego Them

While home gutters have become a standard across the nation, not all homes have them. Why? There are actually some downsides to having a gutter attached to your home’s roof. However, most of these downsides are far outweighed by the benefits of having a proper home drainage system. Increasingly, homeowners are choosing to outfit their homes with gutters.

When to go for the gutter

Pros

The reason that the gutter has become standard is that it’s the best system possible we’ve come up with to take care of drainage around the home. The narrow, tunnel-like tubes that attach to the edge of a home’s roof direct water away from the foundation and prevent groundwater from leaking into the home.

These are just some of their benefits:

• Most gutter systems are inexpensive, especially when considering life without them.
• If a section of the system becomes damaged, it’s easy to replace just that area.
• They are commonly made from aluminum and vinyl. The vinyl gutter is particularly cost effective. Vinyl is strong but lightweight and can last for at least a decade without rusting. The aluminum type doesn’t rust either, and lasts longer – about 25 years- but is prone to denting.

However, maintenance for your gutters is essential, no matter the material from which they are constructed. Keeping the system free of debris and leaves helps it to work correctly.

Cons

One of the downsides of employing the gutter is that it easily accumulates debris inside of it. If the debris blocks the system, it prevents proper drainage and results in overflow – exactly where you don’t want it, beside your home. As a result, performing maintenance once or twice a year is a must.

When to forego the gutter

Pros

In some regions of the country, where precipitation is low, gutters may not be necessary. In addition, a home in a heavily wooded and protected area may not need them. Further, gutters may become so laden with debris that maintenance is impossible. In other cases, the gutter isn’t necessary if a home is situated on sloping ground, where drainage naturally occurs.

Cons

In areas where precipitation requires gutters but homeowners want to avoid using them, it’s important to have a larger roof overhang to avoid a water-logged home. It’s necessary to have around six inches of roof overhang, effective drainage around the outside of the home, and gravel installed around the perimeter.

Find out how to outfit your home with the right gutter system. Contact Findlay Roofing today!

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