Nearly every home is equipped with gutters for good reasons. You know that gutters collect rainwater as it flows off of your rooftop. However, they do more than that. They also channel the rainwater to downspouts to deposit all the collected water a safe distance from your home. What you don’t realize is how many functions these simple rooftop channels are performing every time it rains, sleets or snows. Here are some of the basic functions of a properly installed gutter system and what they do to protect your home from water.
Protecting your foundation & basement flooding
One of the most basic and crucial functions of a gutter system is protecting your home’s foundation. When water is deposited around your home’s foundation, it causes the soil around your home to expand and contract. This movement of the earth around your home cause your foundation to shift and crack. This really threaten your home’s structure and cost you thousands of dollars in repairs.
Gutters also save your home from damaging basement floods. When water pool around your home, it can leak through the porous masonry materials used to construct your foundations. Even if your basement doesn’t fully flood during rainfall, moisture around your foundation can cause mold or mildew to form. It can also fill your home with an unpleasant damp smell. With a properly installed gutter system, water is channeled away from your home to prevent basement flooding.
Saving your home from water damage
If there’s nothing underneath your roofline to collect the water as it flows from your roof, water will stream freely down the sides of your home. Overtime, this can cause water damage to your home. Siding can become stained and damaged, door frames and window frames can rot, and your windows may begin to leak as water finds its way around the flashing. A properly installed gutter system protects your home’s exterior from water.
Keeping your landscaping in place
Nearly all homeowners have landscape around their homes. Water pouring off of a gutter-free roofline can wash away flower beds, damage bushes and displace brick and stone pathways and retaining walls. Your gutters keep your landscape safe from the deluge of water that pour off your roofline when it rains or when snow melts in the spring.
Call The Gutterman!
You might think your gutters only play a small role in keeping your home safe, but the high volume of water that pours off your rooftop can cause serious damage and serious problems. You need to ensure your home is safe from water damage with a properly installed gutter system!
If you have noticed water pooling around your home or basement when it rains, call The Gutterman of TN! The Gutterman himself, Scott Brasfield, has worked as a contractor for more than 25 years, and he has installed gutter systems and gutter guards in the Nashville area for 14 years. Keep your home safe from water damage, call The Gutterman today!