Does My Home Really Need Gutters?
Are you finally moving into your new construction home and the builders didn’t put up gutters? Or are you staring at your house now and wondering if those ugly old gutters are really doing you any good? Many homeowners even feel that their gutters are causing more problems than they’re worth, so they set out to remove them.
At the end of the day, gutters are much like other functional yet commonly-underappreciated parts of the home. It’s not fun to clean a toilet or perform routine inspections of your roof, for example, but it’s easy to take them for granted until we’ve ignored these crucial elements of our life for too long. Then, you start experiencing major issues.
Let’s talk about whether your home really needs gutters – and if it does, how to have clean, functional, and beautiful gutters.
Related Article: Style Your Home with Siding Accessories
When Does My Home Not Need Gutters?
Simply put, gutters exist to redirect water from your roof to drain water properly away from your home and property. If you regularly experience weather events like rain and snow, it’s likely that you should install and maintain gutters. There are very few instances where your home and property will meet all the right conditions to make gutters unnecessary:
- You live in an arid climate that rarely gets rain and snow
- The property slopes sufficiently away from the home to facilitate runoff
- There is no risk of water pooling against the structure to cause water damage
In any case, you should call a professional to inspect your home and property to determine if gutters are unnecessary. If you live in the Northeast, we highly recommend having gutters as we frequently experience heavy rain and snow.
How to Avoid Common Gutter Problems
If you’re considering removing your gutters because you feel they’re more troublesome than they’re worth, it might be caused by improper maintenance or damage. Gutters are meant to create a clear and easy pathway for water runoff, so buildup of debris or damage can cause water to leak and overflow into and around your home.
Experiencing water damage? First, perform a thorough inspection of your roof and gutters or call a professional. You’ll need to diagnose the underlying cause before you start tearing materials down. Then, decide if you need to fix, replace, or just perform routine maintenance on your gutters to resolve the issue.
In the case that your problems are caused by infrequent cleanings, establish a cleaning schedule to stay on top of maintenance. For example, it’s a good idea to always prepare your gutters for fall and to inspect and clean your gutters after the winter season.
Related Article: How to Safely Clean Your Gutters
Installing Gutters with Style
Gutters might be mainly functional and require routine maintenance, but that doesn’t mean you have to stare at ugly ones. Gutters come in many colors and styles that can enhance the personality and architecture of your home if chosen properly. For example, if you like a vintage look, half-round and box-shaped gutters are a nostalgic choice. If you like a clean minimalist look, it’s easy to find sharp and tidy gutters for your home.
Advance Inc. is your expert tristate-area company for exterior home remodeling. We intimately know northeastern homes – especially in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware areas – so we keep the best siding, roofing, and accessories in stock to match your needs and design preferences.
Contact us today to talk about changing up the functionality and look of your home.