Gutters are a part of the home that many people forget about, because they easily blend in and typically don’t require a lot of maintenance. However, if you don’t have the right gutters, they’re not cleaned properly, or they’re damaged, it can cause massive and costly issues to arise that no homeowner wants to deal with. With the proper upkeep, you can make sure that your home stays safe and problem-free. Read on to learn what makes this small part of your home so vital.
What Exactly Do Gutters Do?
Gutters have one important job, and that’s to redirect water away from the foundation and roof of your home. Storms that bring heavy rainfall can cause serious damage to your roof, doors, siding, and foundation if it’s left to pool up in one or two places around your home. Without well-maintained gutters, these could result in costly water damage that’s incredibly difficult to repair. Not to mention, when it’s left unattended to, it could even result in mold.
In addition, your gutters protect the foundation of your home and landscaping by diverting water away from it. If rain was left to settle at the foot of your home each time it stormed, you would have issues with erosion, flooded landscaping, and exterior paint staining.
How Do You Maintain Gutters?
It’s not enough to simply have gutters on your home. They need to be regularly cleaned and maintained in order to keep them functioning like they normally would. That’s why it’s a good idea to regularly and frequently inspect your gutter system in months of high rainfall for any holes or obstructions. Also, be sure to check that the downspout isn’t pulling away from your home. If you do notice this issue, it’s likely a result of a clogged area of the gutters. Your downspout should also ideally be set three to five feet away from your home to prevent water from settling near the foundation and brick.
The most common reasons that gutters fail is due to clogs and not being regularly cleaned. A variety of debris can collect in these areas, including twigs, leaves, and shingle grit, which can all cause rain water to either overflow back onto your roof, or settle in your gutters.
How Can You Prevent Issues With Your Gutters?
Knowing how to properly maintain your gutters is a great first step towards making sure that they’re doing their job. If you’re unable to regularly clean or maintain them, there are some additional handy add-ons, like gutter guards, that will make sure that they never get clogged. However, it’s still important to clean these regularly as well. These are micromesh screens that are placed over your gutters to prevent debris from settling and causing clogs.
Even though gutters seem like the smallest aspect of your home, they’re incredibly important. With clean and clear gutters, you’ll be able to prevent serious water damage from wreaking havoc on the foundation and roof of your house, which makes it well worth the effort.
About Platinum Gutters
At Platinum Gutters, we offer a variety of services focused around maintaining one of the most important parts of your home, including repairs, installation, replacement, and protective leaf guards. Our team of professionals can help you get the most out of your home by protecting it from water damage. For questions or to request a free quote, visit our website or call 817-380-4404.