Home Improvement Guide 101

When remodeling or designing your home–to-be we all tend to think of the fun and decorative side of things. We take time to plan for floors, siding, paint, tiles, and more while we forget about some of the other important aspects when building a house. Guttering is a very important part of a house in order to prevent unnecessary damage. Gutters channel rain off of the roof and away from the house. When gutters become clogged with debris, the rain flow can be blocked and build up over time. This can then result in damage to your home because of the water spilling over the gutters and down the sides of the house. Here are some of the basics about gutters and things to remember:

• As mentioned above, gutters can easily be clogged with debris such as leaves. To stop larger debris from getting into your gutter there are guards you can purchase to block the debris. This will save you from needing a guttering service and the added cost that comes along with them. However, it is important to remember that you will still need to clean your gutters occasionally. Even though the guard blocks larger debris, it doesn’t stop smaller debris such as dirt-so do not put off keeping your gutters clean and working properly.
• Gutters can come without a downspout. This means that the water is being drained off the roof, but is running down the side of your house. This downspout will keep the water draining away from your home.
• One of the most popular choices of gutters are pvc rain gutters. This material is very light-weight but still very strong. It requires very little maintenance, making this a very cost effective material to choose for gutters.
• The cost of gutters varies between installers and the type of material chosen for the gutters. The average home has between 120-250 feet of rain gutters. This number can increase or decrease depending on the number of stories and the amount of the roof line. The average cost for PCV gutters is $3-$5 per lineal foot to have someone install it. This is about $360-$600 for 120 feet and $750-$1250 for 250 feet. If you want to do this yourself, material of PVC only costs about $50-$100 for 120 feet and $90-$180 for 250 feet. If installing the gutter yourself, make sure to have all guttering supplies before beginning.
• Overtime, gutters will need to be replaced. It is difficult to know when replacement guttering is needed. Some common signs of an old or malfunctioning gutter include: sagging of the gutter, the gutter pulling away from the roof, rusted spots on the gutter, home flooding, exterior paint damage, siding damage, and decrease or complete lack of water flow from the downspouts. Pay attention to these signs to prevent water damage to your home.

Overall, do not forget about the importance of gutters. If the correct type of gutter is installed, you will be saved from the nightmare of dealing with water damage that could have been prevented!