Five Important questions to ask about gutters
How gutters can prevent thousands of dollars in damage to your home.
Here you will find 5 important questions to think about when it comes to your gutters. The why, how, when, and what pertains to gutter replacement and protection.
1. WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR GUTTER SYSTEM?
First, this is an important gutter question to ask yourself. If your gutter system is not working properly stress and expensive problems arise. The gutter on your home is one of the most important systems on your house. The guttering system is designed to keep rainwater where it belongs – away from your home’s foundation. As a result, water not channeled away from your home can cause wood rot, mold, water in the basement, damaged siding and stucco and the most costly – cracks and settling in your foundation. If you’re interested in learning more about the importance of functioning gutters, check out our radio show with NARI.
2. HOW BIG DO MY GUTTERS NEED TO BE?
Whether you need Five (5) inch or Six (6) inch gutters is determined by the amount of water volume produced by your roof and how far you need to move that volume of water to the nearest downspout. While most homes only need a Five (5) inch gutter system. If you have a very large house with a steep roof and many valleys dumping rainwater into short runs of gutter you will need Six (6) inch gutters. However, many times a Five (5) inch guttering system with large downspouts is sufficient.
3. HOW MANY DOWNSPOUTS DO I NEED?
A good rule of thumb is for every 25-35 feet of gutter you will need a 2X3 inch sized downspout and for 35 feet or more of the gutter, a larger 3X4 inch downspout will be required. Larger downspouts will increase the water volume capacity of each downspout. One square inch of outlet for every 100 square feet of roof is the industry recommendation. Where should they be placed? The water needs to have a positive flow away from your house to protect the foundation and keep water infiltration out of your basement. Furthermore, this can be accomplished by extensions on your downspouts – splash blocks – underground or french drains.
4. WHEN DO I KNOW IT IS TIME TO REPLACE THEM?
Inspect your gutters yearly for Rust – Leaks – Loose Downspouts – & Proper Drainage. If your gutters are pulled loose and rusty it may be time to replace them. Rather, if no rust is evident they may just need to be repaired.
5. WHAT MAINTENANCE IS REQUIRED?
It is critical to keep your gutters clean and free flowing in order to keep water where it belongs. In addition, tree type and proximity to your house will determine the frequency of cleaning required.
GUTTER COVER KANSAS CITY®– COMMITTED TO KEEPING WATER WHERE IT BELONGS.
As a result, Gutter Cover Kansas City® provides complete gutter solutions. Our team is happy to evaluate your current guttering system. We are committed to protecting you and your home by keeping water where it belongs. Consequently, to keep water where it belongs we protect your gutter system with Advantage Gutter Guard®. We will evaluate your guttering system to determine if it simply needs adjustments or if it needs to be replaced. We make available five or six-inch seamless gutters that can be installed as well. Our guttering systems are designed to have superior strength and a sleek design. Advantage Gutter Guard® comes with a Lifetime Performance Guarantee.
If your looking for an estimate today, contact us!
