If you built or purchased your home with gutters already installed, you know the value of such a system. But if your roofline isn’t currently equipped with gutters, do you need them? Keep reading and discover some of the benefits of these water-draining methods to help you decide whether to invest in gutters to protect your home.

To Gutter or Not to Gutter

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website, the average annual rainfall in the state ranges from 20 inches in the northwest to 35 inches in the southeast. With such a wet climate, it’s probably worth your while to invest in gutters for your home.

A gutter system can protect your property in more ways than one.

Preserve the foundation. Minnesota summers are notorious for storms and heavy rains. When that rainwater pours down from your roof, it can lead to erosion as more soil washes away time and again. This can eventually cause damage to landscaping, sidewalks, and even your driveway.

Erosion that extends too close to the house can damage the foundation. Indicators include cracks in walls and chimneys or warped and uneven floors, all of which could be costly to repair.

Keep the basement dry. Rainwater that drains straight from the shingles often collects around the home’s foundation. As the soil becomes more saturated, it gets heavier and can cause cracks in basement walls. Those small cracks allow water to seep in, which may cause flooding or moisture buildup. This presents a danger on its own. Damp basements often harbor mold growth, which could affect the health of your family.

Safeguard your siding. Water streaming down can carry with it all sorts of debris, which over time can damage or discolor your siding – depending on which type you have. Stains, chips, or cracked paint can affect your home’s curb appeal.

What’s more, water damage can wear down the siding and cause it to crumble or rot, inviting unwelcome critters and pests inside. Compromised siding also allows in moisture, which again leads to issues with mold.

Installation

Once you make the choice to invest in gutters, be sure they’re property installed by professionals, like the experts at Spotless & Seamless, to ensure proper measurement, fastening, and fitting. Also, be sure to keep your new gutters free of debris and in working order.

To avoid gutter maintenance, ask about the LEAFAWAY® Gutter Protection system. Our Twin Cities home exteriors professionals are here to help with all of your home exterior needs. Contact us to learn more or to request an estimate.

During storm season, rain gutters are your home’s defense, channeling runoff water so it doesn’t damage your fascia boards, siding, foundation, landscaping, and more. Conventional gutters need to be cleaned of debris and require some minor repairs over time, but at some point, every homeowner needs to get a new system entirely. Read on to discover when to replace your gutters.

Cracks, Holes, and Rust

Large cracks and holes are obvious, but smaller ones may remain inconspicuous except during a storm. When it’s raining, check along your gutters to see if there are any leaks. You could seal them with roofing cement, but multiple cracks and holes may be a sign that you need a replacement.

Aging metal exposed to water will rust. You can prevent further corrosion with a rust-inhibiting paint, but if your gutters are deteriorating throughout, your rain carrying system may need an upgrade.

Blockages

If your gutters are frequently clogged, water will spill over onto the fascia board. Fascia boards hold the gutters and protect your roofing system, so if your gutters aren’t doing their job, they could rot. A clog-free gutter system like LEAFAWAY® can prevent blockages and save you from cleaning your gutters every few months.

Broken fasteners

If you are finding broken fasteners, screws, or nails on the ground around your home, it may mean your gutters are coming loose from the fascia boards. You could buy new fasteners and reattach sections, but you should consider a replacement if the fascia board is rotting.

Separating Seams

Leaking or separated gutter seams can be caused by bad joints, clogs, or simple aging. If your gutter joints are coming apart, consider upgrading to seamless gutters for a more efficient, uniform, and stable system.

An Overloaded System

If you hear water pouring over your gutters during a storm, they may be too small for your home or misaligned and not draining properly. Water running down the exterior walls of your home or puddling near the foundation could cost much more than a gutter replacement if the moisture rots exterior wood, floods the basement, or erodes landscaping.

As a Maple Grove roofing contractor, Spotless & Seamless Exteriors (SSE) also offers LEAFAWAY® gutter protection systems to homeowners throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. LEAFAWAY® provides seamless gutters Twin Cities homeowners trust to withstand the toughest weather conditions. These seamless gutters feature a one-piece design that deflects runoff debris while allowing rain to flow into the trough.

Available in a wide variety of beautiful colors, LEAFAWAY® gutters are custom-manufactured to fit your home perfectly. With this revolutionary product, you won’t ever have to clean your gutters again. No more worrying about gutter blockages. LEAFAWAY® keeps leaves, pinecones and needles, and twigs out. This, in turn, protects soffit and fascia boards, prevents ice damming, and maintains maximum water capacity throughout your home’s rain carrying system. SSE can also install a Superspout™ that provides 50 percent more drainage than conventional downspouts.

If you’re wondering when to replace your gutters, give your Minnesota clog-free gutter professionals a call. We provide a variety of financing options and referral rewards so you can save money.

Contact us for an estimate.