At Divine Roofing, Inc. We know if you’ve ever looked up at your roof, you’ve likely noticed the rain gutters attached to the eaves along many of the sides of your home. Most people don’t think twice about these gutters, but the truth is they’re actually an extremely important part of your roof and the protection of your home. On this blog, we’ll go over why you need to take good care of your rain gutters, as well as offer you a few maintenance tips you can follow to ensure they last as long as possible.
What Do Rain Gutters Do?
Rain gutters are pretty much exactly as they sound: their job is to collect and move rain that rolls off your roof. When rain starts to fall or snow starts to melt, water runs down your roof towards the lowest point, which is usually on the lowest horizontal edges of its various planes. Your rain gutters collect this water runoff and carry it to a connected drain where it can safely drain away without risk of damage to your home.
How can just a little bit of rain water or melted snow be so dangerous? Simple: the eaves of your home actually protect your foundation from being flooded, and your rain gutters keep the heaviest flow of water away from them to offer even more protection. As water runs off your roof, it would fall and hit the ground right near the foundation of your home if you didn’t have rain gutters, causing the foundation to become water-logged and potentially even unstable due to settling. A wet foundation is prone to shifting, and even can lead to major mold growth that can have health consequences.
However, even aside from protecting your foundation, rain gutters also protect your home in other ways. Preventing water runoff means the paint on the sides of your home and your eaves will last much longer and continue to protect the siding and interior structure of your home. There will be less staining along your exterior walls, and your decks, patios, and walkways will even be better-protected, even if they’re not completely covered as well.
Caring for Rain Gutters
Rain gutters are such a small and insignificant part of your home that few people pay enough attention to them. However, clogged or damaged rain gutters can have a huge detrimental effect on your home so ignoring them could be a major mistake. As a homeowner, there are several things you can do for your rain gutters that keep them in good shape and functioning properly so they can continue to provide your home with the vital protection you depend on them for.
Clean Your Gutters
Your rain gutters need to be cleaned periodically. Because they’re usually just open troughs, they can collect debris such as dust, dirt, leaves, grime, and other residue that either blows in from the wind, gets dropped by an animal, or trickles down off your roof during rainy or snowy weather. Take a small garden trowel or even a shop-vac with a long extension hose and carry it up a ladder and clear out this debris until the gutter is as free and clear as possible. This will ensure water doesn’t get clogged or build up because of debris, which can lead to extra weight potentially stressing the gutter to the point where it breaks and falls off your roof.
This job may not be the most fun in the world, but skipping it could be devastating for your home. You should make sure to do so at least once per year, preferably towards the end of summer before the major rain season begins.
Check for Damage
When you’re cleaning your gutters, keep your eyes open for any signs of damage that may have developed over the years. Rusted, damaged, or missing screws, cracks or holes in the gutters themselves, or warps and dents that cause water to collect and remain are all issues that need to be dealt with, usually by replacing the rain gutter entirely. Much like cleaning your gutters, you should do this at least once per year and replace any and all rain gutters that have work out or broken as a result of years of exposure to the elements.
Install Gutter Guards
Gutter guards are a small device available at your local home improvement warehouse. These simple screens are a cover that prevent larger debris like sticks and leaves from falling into your gutter where they can clog it up and inhibit its ability to drain water. However, the cracks or holes in the screen are still plenty large enough to allow water to flow easily into them.
Generally, gutter guards can be cleaned with something as simple as running a broom across them, and they’re a piece of cake to install around your entire home in just a few hours.
If your roof has sustained serious damage due to broken or clogged rain gutter, have it repaired by the Colorado Springs roofing professionals from Divine Roofing, Inc.! Call us today at (719) 497-1005 to schedule your appointment.