What Are The Most Frequently Asked Questions With Gutters?

What Are The Most Frequently Asked Questions With Gutters?

Gutters are a really important protection mechanism for your home.

A rain gutter system is there to divert water away from the home to defend your family’s health as well as the well-being of your property. There are many moving parts that go into making rain gutters work; therefore, there are many questions that we see pop up from home owners quite often. We have compiled a list of the most common to help.

Question: How often should you clean your gutters?
Answer: A minimum of twice a year. This may increase depending on the amount of debris you have from surrounding elements. For example, pine trees will shed a great deal more into your gutter and will cause it to clog easier; therefore, you should clean your gutter out quarterly if you have pine trees.

Question: How long should my gutters last?
Answer: According to the National Association of Homebuilders, “Gutters have a life expectancy of more than 50 years if made of copper and for 20 years if made of aluminum. Copper downspouts last 100 years or more, while aluminum ones will last 30 years.”

Gutters and Downspouts	Life in Years
Copper	50+
Aluminum	20
Galvanized Steel	20
Downspouts (Aluminum)	30
Downspouts (Copper)	100

Vinyl gutters should last 25+ years according to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.

These time periods do not take into account “natural disasters” or damage from ladders, though.

Question: What are signs that gutters need to be repaired or replaced?
Answer: Most of the time, gutters can be repaired instead of completely replaced. Be sure to check with a professional before taking the leap of replacing your gutters.

1. Visible cracks, holes, and/or rust on the gutters
2. Paint that is bubbling or pealing on or around the gutters or off the house’s siding
3. Accumulation of water near the foundation of the house
4. Gutters are beginning to separate from the house or fasteners are broken
5. Gutters are separating from each other
6. Sagging gutters
7. Standing water in the gutters

Question: What are the different types of mesh guards and which are best for your home?
Answer:

Screens are made of wire mesh, nylon, or foam. They are super easier and cheaper to install. These are great for larger debris such as leaves; however, smaller debris like seeds and pine needles can easily sneak through the screen’s holes. A downfall of screens is that they may easily become plugged as the debris gets entangled and isn’t easy to be brushed or blown off.

Fine mesh guards have smaller holes than screens. They are metal sheets with tiny holes that attach to the roof shingles via tape or small screws and cover the gutter. Their functionality is very comparable to screens; however, they let a lot less smaller debris by.

Reverse Curve (Surface-Tension) gutter guards position the water downward while directing the leaves to fall to the ground. Sometimes smaller debris gets into the gutters, but easily washes out the downspouts. These must be installed at an angle that is similar to the roof’s slope in order for them to work.

Question: What are seamless gutters and what are their benefits?
Answer: Professionals normally prefer to install seamless gutters, which offer a multitude of advantages over the traditional system. Seamless gutters are designed specifically for your home. As the name suggests, they are also seamless, which means debris doesn’t build up as easily around the welded areas. They do not have breaks and expansion joints at regular intervals like the traditional system; therefore, leaks and wear downs are less common. This also means that pests have a harder time trying to get into these gutters. They also require less maintenance, no large clean-up cost, and are able to be hung more securely. Seamless gutters come in a variety of colors and styles which make it easy to match your home’s exterior.

Question: Why are downspouts important?
Answer: Downspout by definition is a pipe that carries rainwater from a roof to a drain or to ground level. These sit at the end of a gutter and jut out, away from the house. They help carry all of the water that was collected in the gutter down to a safe distance away from your home (whether the spout lands in a drainage system or sloping rocks. Downspouts are incredibly important factors in maintaining your home and ensuring that your gutter system is working properly. They protect the critical parts of your home as without them, the water that is funneled through a gutter would come out right next to your home’s foundation. Damage would also occur if the downspouts aren’t faced away from your home.

If you are considering rain gutters for the first time, it is more important than ever to ensure you choose a reputable company for a high quality gutter installation. The experts from Gutter Professionals, Inc. will exceed your expectations with everything related to your seamless gutters system. Give us a call today for a Free Quote on all gutter services!

 

POSTED ON September 26, 2017 // 0 COMMENTS