Gutters might seem like a very minor accessory for your home’s exterior, and many handy homeowners figure that gutter installation or repair is something that they can take on themselves. If you’re tempted to climb the ladder and tackle a gutter chore yourself, you may want to reconsider.
While a relatively inexpensive building product, gutters are NOT a minor item on your home’s exterior. In fact, gutters and downspouts – also referred to as a rain-handling system – are a very important and critical component in protecting your house’s roof edge, siding, and foundation, as well as your landscaping. Directing water away from your roof edge due to winter snow melt is important to prevent formation of ice dams. And in the heavy-rain months such as spring, keeping that rain water moving away from the base of your home is important to prevent a wet basement. For those gutters to function as intended, proper installation is a must.
While you may not be able to detect it at a distance, properly-hung gutters slope downward slightly toward the downspout openings. This keeps the water moving smoothly. Too much of a slope produces an awkward and unattractive appearance; too little and the water won’t flow properly, and in heavy rains may in fact spill over the side of the gutter and down your siding. And if your gutters aren’t installed properly against the roof edge, water may run off the roof between the edge and the gutter. If you’ve got wood siding, this could result in cracking and peeling paint as well as deteriorated wood. And the water in those puddles around your foundation might find its way into your basement.
If your gutters are leaking or not handling rain water or snow melt properly, it’s best to have a professional gutter installation contractor inspect them. You may have bent areas or holes which leak. And heavy snowfalls can cause gutters to pull away from the roof edge, so it could be that this past winter has done some damage to your gutters that needs to be repaired before the spring storms start. You’ve made a big investment in your home – professional gutter installation is a small price to pay to protect that investment.
Window Outfitters is a premier Window Replacement, doors, siding contractor and installer. As Contractor in the St Paul, Minneapolis, (Twin Cities) Minnesota (MN) metro, we proudly serve, but are not limited to, the following areas: Minneapolis Energy Efficient Vinyl Windows, Replacement Window Contractors Minnesota, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, Savage, Bloomington, Edina, Richfield, Eagan, St Paul, Hastings, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Farmington MN, Chaska, Shakopee, Chanhassen, Victoria, Mendota Heights Anderson Windows Minneapolis, Marvin Windows Minneapolis.
