There are a lot of things that are looked out for while purchasing a house. There are certain key aspects of the house that are essential and one cannot overlook. These components include an alcove, atrium, attic, basement, bathrooms or washrooms, bedrooms, vestibule, living room, kitchen, home office or study room, windows, staircase and so on. The list is endless.
However, there is always a confusion whether rain gutters are essential on home roofs. People always wonder whether installing one will be a waste of money if it serves no purpose. Now obviously not all households will require a rain gutter.
Plus, there’s the added confusion of roofers in your area offering differing opinions. So ultimately the decision comes down to you (which is why we wrote this post).
So, simple speaking, if the weather conditions in your area are similar to that of a desert and receive very little or no rainfall, then obviously installing a rain gutter in the house is unnecessary.
However, in areas that receive a decent amount of rainfall or heavy rainfall, the question of not installing a rain gutter goes away. Installing rain gutters becomes essential for the health of the house and its foundation.
We need to keep certain factors in mind if we need to use rain gutters entirely or on some roof lines:
Position, base and arrangement of the house
The basic role of the rain gutter is to put the water as far away as possible from the roots of the house and the basement.
If the house is on a land which is sloping downward, there will be an existence of a natural gutter. There will be no need for gutters to play the role of a channel.
But, if the area is lacking a natural drainage system, you need gutters to play the role of keeping the additional moisture away from the basement. If there is a retaining war close to the house, then you need to install rain gutters so that the water is away from the area.
The soil soaked in rain behind the retaining wall creates a hydraulic pressure which can push it over.
The vegetation around it
Maintaining the gutters will be heavy on time if the house situates in a heavily wooded area, especially which has pine needles. If the weather is colder, letting debris get gathered near the gutter can cause a lot of harm.
Average precipitation
You might have to maintain the gutter if the area where the house is situated. If the area around your house receives a heavy snowfall, it will not be advisable to have gutters as they will create an obstacle to clear the snow off the roof and prevent any harm.
An advice for the people who stay in wet weather conditions is that, position a strip of zinc near the ridge of the roof which is facing north to prevent any collection of roof fungus, mould, and moss.
Accumulation and conservation of water
It will be helpful in considering a rainwater collection if the area experiences a heavy rainy season which then goes back to a dry season.
To accumulate rain water, install the gutter in place along with a rain storage tank or a barrel. The rainwater accumulated will aid in mitigating the landscape during the dry season and preserve the water for household purposes.
Thus, the importance of rain gutters is endless. Building officials too acknowledge the need for developing it. The rain gutters are necessary for the following purposes:
- Balances the soil that surrounds the home.
- Averts the issues arising due to the base of the house.
- Blocks the flooding that occur under the house and the basement.
- Stops erosion and protects the landscape.
We need to keep in mind that rain gutters require regular maintenance. It needs to be free from any debris or should not be clogging. If enough debris, dirt or leaves accumulate in the gutter, it will cause problems.
A clogged gutter can lead to water seeping in the house, thus triggering the problem of leakage.
Hence to prevent any damage to the house, it is essential to install a gutter made out of either aluminium or vinyl. A square-line or half rounded gutters supply a good runoff.