Is Rain Gutter Design Important?

Although my job really involves cleaning your rain gutters, because I am around them a lot, I see many mistakes in the way they are installed.

These mistakes can effect the roof of your house and cause you all kinds of costly problems.

Damage from improperly designed rain gutters

Oftentimes I will see rain gutters that just empty out on to the roof causing these problems:

• Erosion – When water continually pours over the top of the shingles, erosion of the mineral granules occurs. Although that may not seem like a critical issue, it is. Over a period of time the loss of the granules will expose the shingle to the weather reducing the life of your roof.
• Leaks – High volumes and the force of the water being discharged can be strong enough to force water between the shingles and cause the roof to leak.
  • Although it may be months before the leak is noticed, it can do damage to your roof, attic, insulation and eventually your ceilings.
• Algae, moss, mold, fungus and other vegetation – If the water from your gutters continues to flow over the top of your roof, your roof will become a garden, a damaging garden that can eat away at your roof.
• Structure damage – If the water discharges near a wall, excess moisture can result in wood rot, mortar deterioration or flashing corrosion which almost always leads to costly repairs.

What should be done?

• Replace short with longer downspouts to re-route the water directly onto the ground.
• By adding additional downspouts, water could be directed to another gutter.
• If the house is still in the design stage, change the plans to protect your home.

No matter how well your rain gutters are designed, if you don’t keep the gutters free of debris build up, it won’t matter. Gutters that don’t flow freely are just as damaging as a poor design.

Give me a call, I’ll come out and clean out your gutters and help you protect your home.