The Importance Of A Gutter System
If you own a home, one of the most important parts of the home that you need to maintain is your roof. Part of proper roof maintenance comes from maintaining your gutter system, as it helps protect both the inside and the outside of your home from significant water damage. Here is an overview on what your gutter system does to help protect your home, and how you can ensure proper maintenance.
The Gutter System's Job
The gutter system has a very important job to do that goes hand-in-hand with the roof's job. Your roof protects your home from the elements, but the gutters take over once rain water has collected on your roof. When a gutter is clogged, broken, or leaking, problems will arise, allowing the water to run off of the roof and collect on the ground, which can damage your foundation and the land around your home. The following are prevented by your gutter system:
- Flooding in your home and basement
- A damaged and cracked foundation
- Insect and mosquito breeding infestations
- Mold and mildew growth
- Erosion in your topsoil. The topsoil around your home protects the foundation. If water is not diverted away properly, your home's foundation will be vulnerable.
Proper Maintenance Tips for Your Gutter System
You should clean and maintain your gutter system twice yearly. Make sure they are not pulling away from your house. If you prefer to do your own gutter cleaning, you'll want to make sure that there are no build-ups of leaves and twigs and other debris, such as animal nests. Any blockages will prevent the water from streaming out of your gutters properly, so all the maintenance in the world won't do any good if there is debris keeping the water from draining.
Also, be sure to look for rusted spots on the gutters, holes and dents, as well as gutter hangers that are broken. If you find any of these issues, you'll want to replace the problem areas. If you are unsure how to replace any part of your gutter system, call an experienced roofer who has the ability to work on and replace gutter systems.
Subsequently, if you've yet to install a gutter system, the above reasons should be enough to convince you that you need one. The cost of having one put in is certainly going to be far less than what it will cost to repair all of the damage that comes from not having a gutter system. Contact a professional company, like Alaka'i Raingutters & Supplies, for more information.
