Gutters

Gutters prevent the water that falls on your roof from collecting near your foundation. Houses without gutters usually have a distinct “drip line” where the water that has fallen from the roof edge has eroded the soil below. Where entrances or wlkways pass under a roof edge, gutters prevent water from sheeting off the roof directly onto people below.

Because gutters are subject to some of the harshest natural elements- wind, water, ice, and sunlight – damage from corrosion and physical stress is almost inevitable. When that happens, leaks and water damage can quickly follow. Corrosion is a gutter system typically occurs from the inside out. If your gutters are beginning to leak as a result of corrosion, the prognosis is not good. Patching may provide a temporary solution, but now would be an excellent time to start shopping for a new gutter system.

Sometimes even when the gutter system itself is sound, the gutter supports have broken or pulled away from the house. If the gutters are sagging, water that would normally flow toward one of the downspouts will pool at the low spot and then spill over the side of the gutter. If leaves are a problem, put plastic mesh gutter guards over the gutter.