Do you want a house that will stand the test of time and harsh weather conditions? If yes, then your house needs a quality guttering system. Gutters are water discharge mechanisms that collect and divert water from the roof to the underground drainage system. Gutters, also known as surface water collection channels, eavestroughs, or rain gutters are available in all colours, shapes, and prices – so you can find an affordable and aesthetic gutter system that matches your home. The absence of gutters in a house can cause rainwater to wreak havoc on such building and other surface materials. A lot of house owners make mistakes as a result of various misconceptions about gutters that are harboured. Based on the misconceptions, more damage is likely to be done to one’s building.
How Can You Properly Set Up A Guttering System?
It is one thing to have a guttering system in your house, it’s another thing to have it fully functional. Some house owners have gutters in their houses that are not properly installed. For you to have a complete and ideal guttering system, it must feature seamless gutters on the edges of the roof. Your gutter should not leak or retain water; it must be fixed to the fascias, and there should be downspouts which should be attached to your house exteriors. These downspouts should not be close to the house foundation – it is ideal to have them at least 3ft away from the foundation. Several house owners and installers make this mistake. You can use a flexible black guttering plastic pipe or attach a section of the downspout to the elbow.
How Can You Maintain Your Guttering System?
To have a clean and functional guttering system, constant maintenance needs to be done. You need to perform routine cleaning and ensure that all parts are fully functional. A guttering system can deteriorate when it constantly accumulates leaves and other unwanted particles for a long period of time. Unkempt gutters would weeds and grasses sprouting from them with time which can render them useless. Some downsides to lack of maintenance include:
- Water damming, which happens when the gutters accumulate debris. It can damage the eaves.
- Wall and floor damage as a result of consistent water leakage.
- Fire hazards due to litters of leaves on the rooftops – this is especially common in fire-prone areas.
- Leaks and inefficiency due to the gutters deteriorating.
- Breeding of mosquitoes due to stagnant water.
Depending on the type of house and the environment, you can decide how often you want to maintain your guttering system. Factors such as the proximity of one’s house to nearby trees, the type of trees available i.e deciduous or evergreen, and the slope of one’s roof – high or low slope, influences the level of maintenance that is needed.
If you have a low-sloped roof, you may need to clean your gutters more frequently. If the proximity of your house to the trees are within ten feet, you may just need to clean twice a year. One of the misconceptions people think is that cleaning is not needed for houses that have no nearby trees. This is untrue as they also need to be cleaned, especially houses that have asphalt shingles. If you would like to know more about making your home a safe haven with a properly installed guttering system, EasyMerchant are a great choice for you.