Although often overlooked, an essential part of any house is the gutters. The gutters are what ultimately move water away from the house’s foundation and keeps it from flooding the basement.
However, the gutters will begin to wear down over time, which can become a massive problem. If your gutters start being inefficient, you have two options; repair or installing new gutters.
Types of Gutters
Although gutters aren’t always talked about, there are actually multiple types to choose from. Each one of these types function a bit differently than others, but they all share the same purpose.
Here is a brief list of gutters that you can choose from:
– Copper gutters
– Aluminum gutters
– Seamless aluminum gutters
– Vinyl gutters
– Steel gutters
– Zinc gutters
– Half-round gutters
– K-style gutters
Some gutters have advantages that others don’t. For example, copper gutters will never rust, eliminate the need for a paint job and have a sleek appearance. However, copper gutters are a bit expensive. Vinyl gutters, on the other hand, are very light in terms of weight and are generally cheaper.
The downside of vinyl gutters is how susceptible they are to damage. Regardless, the choice is ultimately yours to make. Once you’ve come to a decision, contact a professional gutter company and they’ll help install or repair your gutters.
Gutter Repair
Gutters are extremely vulnerable to damage. If your gutters are damaged, it can negatively impact the way they function. There are a lot of reasons that warrant gutter repair, but some are more common than others.
Some of the most common issues include leaks, faulty downspout draining, improper slope, vegetation growth in your gutters, joint separation or the gutters are frozen over. Any of these situations warrant gutter inspection by a roofing contractor.
Without proper maintenance, damage to your gutters can compromise the integrity of your home as well. Whether or not you need to have your gutters repaired or have new ones installed will depends on the overall condition and age.
If your gutters are old, it may be best to replace instead of repairing them. On the other hand, if your gutters are relatively new and only need a thorough cleaning, replacement probably isn’t necessary.
Proper gutter maintenance is a must for every homeowner. And while some people like to do the work themselves, it’s always best to hire a professional roofing contractor like Champion Roofing.
