When a home or business suffers from storm damage, it often isn’t just the roof that gets damaged. Other parts of the building typically need repairs and it’s crucial that the whole building is completely restored as soon as possible. Experienced Lakewood roofers can not only repair your roof, but can also repair damage done to your gutters that you may not have noticed. Here’s some important things you should know about the rain gutters on your building:
10 Things You Should Know About Rain Gutters
The four elements – earth, fire, air and water. They can really mess up your day when they visit in the form of natural disasters. Fire turns a home to ashes, earth (quakes) turns a home to rubble, wind (tornados and such) can blow the roof right off and water coming into the home wreaks all kinds of havoc. With the exception of fire, when it’s not a natural disaster, most of the elements are pretty benign. Water is another big exception. Even a few small drips inside your home can, over time, destroy structural integrity with a quickness. Get the skinny on rain gutters and prevent water intrusion problems in and around your home. A little investment up front can save you thousands of dollars in water damage repairs and headaches down the road.
The Laws of Average
What’s the average rainfall in your area? Unless you’re a meteorologist, you probably don’t have a clue. But it’s an important number that can help you to find the right gutter system for your home. By calculating the square footage of your roof and knowing the average rainfall in your area, you can determine just how much water your roof sheds each year. With that number in hand, you can determine if your existing rain gutters are up to par. If you have seen waterfall effects as your current gutters over-fill, that’s usually a good clue they may be undersized, which leads us to the next section – sizing.
Is the Gutter Wide Enough?
Gutters typically come in three sizes – 5, 6 and 7 inch widths. The larger the width, the more water you can safely wick away from your home. But of course, with more gutter comes a larger price tag. If you live in an area with a lot of rain and you have a lot of roof square footage, wider gutter channels are in your best interests.
Bipartisanism – Gutters and Don’t Forget the Downspouts
That’s a big word but it has a small meaning – a two party system. And, unlike our government, a gutter system can’t function with just one part of the system intact. Gutters are used to collect the water runoff and the downspouts are used to divert said water away from the foundation. Don’t forget to include plenty of good sized downspouts to keep water away from the foundation of your home, a common source of many homeowner woes.
