In some parts of the country, rain gutters can seem like more work than they are worth because of the maintenance involved in having them on your home. While they do have to be cleaned and occasionally something will get stuck in them that needs to be cleaned out, there are some good reasons to have them on your home. When you weigh the options you may decide that having the gutters is a better option but here are some points to consider.
The Purpose Of Rain Gutters
It seems simple enough, right? Rain gutters are on the house to direct the rain off the roof to a specific location. They keep you from having to walk through a small waterfall if you have to go in or out during a rainy day, that is true, but that is not the only reasons that they are there. They serve some other purposes that you might not have even considered. Several of which, could save you money down the road.
Getting The Water Away From The House
When it rains hard and the water coming off the roof is not carried away by a rain gutter, the water can start to erode the area around the foundation of your home. If you have a basement, this can lead to water intrusion over time and eventually damage the foundation and create a wet basement. Even if you do not have a basement, the water working its way into the ground around the foundation can weaken the concrete and undermine the footings. The foundation can suffer damage and the end result is costly repairs that could have been avoided by moving that water a few feet from the home.
Saving Your Siding
Homes that have natural wood siding are also prone to damage from water that is allowed to run off the roof and hit the ground. The water can up and under the siding down near the bottom of the outside wall and create a wet condition under those lower boards. Moisture that is allowed to go unchecked there can start to rot the wood from the backside and as time goes on, the damage can spread to other parts of the wall. Repairing the damage would mean replacing sections of siding along the lower edge of the home sooner than it should have to be.
Keeping Plants Healthy
If you have plants, flowers, or shrubs growing around your home, rain gutters will help keep them healthier by moving the water away from them. While plants need water, they don't need large amounts of it coming down hard in one spot. The gutters will direct the water off into the yard and the rain falling on the plants will be healthier in the long run.
To learn more, contact a gutter installation company.
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