Importance of Gutters & Downspouts

Having a gutter system installed around your home is essential for good maintenance.

The purpose of a gutter system is to help control the flow of rainwater from your roof to the ground to prevent rain damage to your exterior, ground erosion, and to protect your landscaping from being washed away. Gutters can also keep insects from your basement or crawlspaces.

For that reason, it’s important to keep your gutters in good repair and free from leaves and other debris that interrupt the intended disposition of excess rain water and melted snow.

Maintenance and Repair
Over the years, ice, snow, tree limbs, squirrels and other causes can damage gutters or pull them away from your home’s fascia boards. Debris can accumulate, causing water to leak into your attic or between the siding layers of your home.

The best time to check your gutters for damage is during the spring and summer. Either wait for a rain shower and circle your home watching where the flow is correct versus where the flow is stopped up or diverted by leaves and debris, or you can simply spray water on your roof, letting water cascade down to your gutters and then looking for leaks and other problems.

If your gutters pull away from their mounting- it may be as easily as hammering their loose nails back into place. You also might consider taking the old nail out and replacing it with a longer one so that it can get a better grip, or you can move the nail to a stronger area.

To plug holes, buy a tube of roofing cement and a “patch” of the same material that is much larger than the hole itself. Simply clean the area, and use the roofing cement to connect the two pieces of material, which will solve the problem.