Timely gutter repair, maintenance, and replacement are crucial to keeping all aspects of your home in good condition. Gutters are the unsung heroes of your home's exterior that protect your home from the ravages of rain and climate. While homes in some parts of the country are sometimes built without rain gutters, these rain redirecting devices are recognized as an important part of the home in most places.
Why Have Gutters on your Home?
Gutters serve several functions:
- They reduce the likelihood of foundation problems.
- They prevent flooding in basements and under houses.
- They prevent or limit erosion, which preserves turf and landscaping.
- They lessen settling and cracking of patios, sidewalks, and driveway.
- They stabilize the soil around the home.
- They limit water damage to siding and staining on brick and stone.
- They extend the life of exterior doors and garage doors.
For gutters to do their job, it is important to attend to regular maintenance. Because they form a trough near the roof, they are easily blocked with leaves and when filled with water, can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. When water accumulates in the gutter and is unable to drain, it often finds its way into the home. During the winter, blocked gutters contribute to the formation of harmful ice dams that can harm the roof and cause leaking in the house.
After a time, gutters tend to pull away from the house as fasteners break, and the downspouts connected to them to carry water to the ground become distorted or damaged. Attending to downspout and gutter repair and maintenance is crucial to preventing foundation leaks and water damage and to protecting your investment in siding and roofing.
To make sure that gutters are working correctly, you should inspect them at least annually to make sure that they:
- Are properly installed, so that seamless gutters are mounted on every sloped roof edge.
- Are properly fastened to the home with secure strapping.
- Are not blocked with leaves.
- Are not impeded with poor leaf guard blocking systems that dam leaves on the roof.
- Are not rusted out.
- Are fitted with proper downspouts which have diverters at the end to carry water away from the foundation.
For many people, gutter repair and maintenance is a difficult job since gutters are located high in the house. In this case, it pays to hire professional gutter specialists who cannot only make sure that the gutters are free of debris, but also assess if they are in good enough condition to do their job.
Many companies that sell siding often provide gutter services. If the gutters are rusted, broken, or otherwise in need of replacement, the pros can handle repairs and even fix any damage or stains to your siding. If you are having your home re-sided or re-stuccoed, technicians can replace the gutters.
Smart homeowners do not let the gutters get so bad that they are ineffective or falling off the house. Attending to gutter repair and cleaning will keep your home safe.
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About the Author
Jillynn Stevens, Ph.D., MSW is a writer and the Digital Marketing Content Director at Be Locally SEO where she is passionate about helping small and medium sized businesses expand their online presense and realize unprecedented success.
Article Source: Why Gutter Repair Should be Included in your Exterior Maintenance
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