Why you Need Rain Gutters Installed this Fall

When bad weather strikes this fall, will your home be ready? Gutters are a simple upgrade you can install to direct rainwater away from the foundation. Why does this matter? And what types of gutters and downspouts are available to make your home’s water removal system attractive and effective? Let’s take a look.

Types of Gutters and Downspouts

Gutters come in many shapes, materials, and styles to suit your water removal needs and aesthetic tastes. Consider some of these gutter options for your house:

• Rain gutter shapes: There are two basic rain gutter shapes to choose from. The most popular are K-style gutters, which have flat bottoms and a decorative contour on the side that mimics the appearance of crown molding. The other is half-round, which is most suitable for maintaining a traditional look on a historic home. Downspouts come in round or square versions with various dimensions. Decorative spiral shapes are also available.
• Rain gutter materials: Residential gutters can be manufactured from various materials. You might choose to install aluminum, copper, steel, zinc, or vinyl rain gutters. Each one offers certain benefits that appeal to different homeowners.
• Gutterless rain gutters: If you don’t like the appearance of a traditional gutter system, consider a gutterless version. Louvers installed on the edge of the roof disperse water into a two- to three-foot-wide band of soft, rain-sized droplets aimed away from the house. This sprinkles the landscape rather than eroding it with a heavy stream of water.
• Seamless aluminum gutters: The Grounds Guys® installs seamless aluminum gutters, which only feature seams at the corners and downspout outlets. This option is more attractive than traditional rain gutters and reduces weak spots and potential leak sites.

How Rain Gutters Protect Your Home and Yard

Fall is a great time to install gutters so you can enjoy the benefits they offer right as the weather turns cold and rainy. Here’s what installing rain gutters will do for you:

• Protect your siding: When rainwater runs down the side of your house, it leaves unsightly brown streaks that make your home look dirty and unkempt. Over time, the siding may start to rot and grow mold as a result of water continually running down it. Gutters direct water to downspouts to protect your siding from excessive moisture.
• Prevent foundation damage and basement flooding: When water flows directly off the roof and onto the ground, the soil immediately surrounding the foundation becomes supersaturated. As the soil expands, it presses against the foundation walls, which may eventually crack and allow water to seep into the basement. This is an expensive headache that you can avoid by installing rain gutters.
• Reduce soil erosion: To protect the structural integrity of your home, it’s very important for the ground to slope away from the foundation. If rain pours off your roof without gutters, the soil will erode and change the slope of the earth, increasing the possibility of basement flooding during a heavy rainstorm. Soil erosion also ruins your yard and drowns any plants growing near the foundation.
• Collect rainwater for your garden: Having gutters on your roof means you can direct rainwater to collection barrels for use in your landscaping. Just be aware that rainwater harvesting laws vary by state, so look into this first.

If you’re interested in enjoying the benefits of rain gutters, turn to The Grounds Guys for a quality, affordable installation. We install seamless gutters, which we extrude onsite for a custom product made just for your home. Some The Grounds Guys locations provide gutter installation services, while others do not. For fall yard cleanup, lawn maintenance or landscaping projects, please contact us today!