The Importance Of Gutters

I performed a home inspection in the North Okanagan area a few months ago where a new home that was constructed in 2008 had no above grade drainage system designed and in place to control water drainage from the surface of the roof. The area size of the roof is very large and since it was raining that day I could observe a significant amount of water flowing off the roof. As my clients where with me, I was able to point out to them the damage was being caused to the home and the potential damage that was not visible.

Firstly, as the water was draining off the roof and onto the finished surface grade, the water hitting the lawn was splashing back towards the home onto the wood siding and trim at various locations. This was causing by present evidence the wood siding and wood trim to dteriorate the woods paint/stain. Further, since joints around the windows, corners of the siding and areas of the trim covering where poorly finished, flashed, small open gaps, and no sealant applied, water entry was present to seep behind those areas to the building envelope (building wrap, plywood sheathing membrane, etc). This type of allowance to occur can be detrimental over a short and long period of time if not corrected to control water run off from the roof.

The owner of the home is a developer and one would think he would know the importance of controlling the flow of water from the roof by installing gutters and drain spouts around the perimeter of the roofs edge. However, it surprised me the homeowner indicated that they where not needed as he had a soils engineer indicate that the ground underside and around the home has adequate water drainage. What’s that got to do with controlling water drainage from the roof? Appears that the whole point here is missed and that ground soil drainage is a different issue.

Water control from the roof should be a number one priority if you want to have a house that is in good working order. Rainwater is a natural element that can wreak havoc on a house if it’s not controlled by properly installed and maintained rain gutters. There are many misconceptions about gutters and as a result there are many mistakes homeowners are making. In some cases these mistakes are causing damage rather than preventing it.

The importance of properly installed and maintained gutters can’t be stressed enough. Every house should have gutters, and in recent years building officials across the country have been recognizing this. Many municipalities around the country are now requiring gutters on all new residential construction. Here’s why rain gutters are so important:

• Soil around the house is stabilized.

• Foundation problems can be avoided.

• Flooding under houses and in basements can be prevented.

• Erosion can be prevented and this preserves landscaping and turf.

• Water damage and deterioration to siding and trim can be prevented.

• Water damage and deterioration to doors and windows can be prevented.

• Water damage and deterioration to open decks can be prevented.

• Water staining on brick and stone masonry can be prevented.

• Settling and cracking of sidewalks, patios and driveways can be lessened.

• Exterior doors and garage overhead doors can be preserved.

The one downside to rain gutters is they require work. Homeowners must be vigilant in keeping them clean and in good working order. Chances are, if you have gutters you probably don’t clean them out often enough. If you wait until they are full of leaves and if you are scooping soil out of your gutters, you are waiting far too long. If you have weeds and grass growing in your gutters you probably have caused some damage. After all, gutters aren’t intended for gardening. Here are the problems that clogged gutters cause:

• Water damming occurs which can cause damage to eaves and water seepage into the soffits.

• Water can leak into the house and cause damage to walls and flooring.

• Mosquitoes can breed in the standing water.

• Tree leaves and needles in gutters can be a fire hazard, especially in areas prone to wild fires.

• Deterioration of gutters occurs which causes leaks and eventual failure.

The frequency with which you should clean out gutters depends on your house. Determining factors include proximity of trees to the roof line, the type of trees (deciduous vs. evergreen), and the slope of the roof. Low sloped roofs can require more frequent cleaning.

Houses with trees within ten feet of the roof line, gutters will need to be cleaned out twice a year at a minimum. In some cases gutters may need to be cleaned out a couple times in fall alone. One myth about gutters is that houses with no trees don’t need to be cleaned. Gutter cleaning may still be required, especially on houses with asphalt shingles. Over time these shingles lose their granules and these granules make their way into the gutters.

The majority of houses with gutters don’t have a system that is complete and installed correctly. A properly installed gutter system will include seamless gutters on every sloped roof edge. The gutters should not hold standing water, should not leak, should be securely fastened to the fascias, and should have downspouts that are securely fastened to the exterior of the house.

Finally, downspouts should not terminate close to the foundation. This is a common mistake that installers and homeowners make. What’s the use of having a complete gutter system that dumps all the water from the roof at the side of the foundation? What’s needed is a minimum of five-foot diversion away from the foundation. In many cases a section of downspout can be attached at the end of the elbow.

There are several products out there that claim to be maintenance-free such as leaf guards that keep gutters clean. Some of these products are effective and some actually create problems. The products available are either metal mesh or sheet metal gutter covers. In some applications these products can tend to dam leaves on the roof that can cause damage to roof decking and eaves. Some of the sheet metal gutter covers and leaf guards products don’t actually work in a heavy rain. Yes, leaves and debris won’t be in your gutter, but water won’t go into the gutter either. Before buying any of these products do some homework and read reviews of these products online. In some cases good old fashion gutter cleaning may be a better option.

The home is one of the largest investments anyone will make in their lifetime and maintaining that investment makes common sense and one of those maintenance issues is controlling water from your roof and around your home.