Do You Really Need Gutters On Your House

You have a 6 to 10 wide roof overhang.

Do you really need gutters on your house.

The truth is some homes don t need them. This seems like a logical train of thought but the reason clogged gutters cause damage is because they let water flow over the sides where it pools all around the foundation. The ground slopes away from your house. This promotes longevity for the foundation.

You do need them at the bottom of any slope though. In this case the concrete already provides your foundation with a protective barrier from water. My last house in cincinnati had more than 400 linear feet of gutter on it. You should always inspect your roof so that you can know whether you really need the gutters.

Your roof is very shallow. For instance if your roof slopes two directions toward the front and back of the house with a peak in the middle you won t need gutters on the sides of the home but should install them in the front and back. Your home is surrounded by concrete be it sidewalks driveway or patio. No you don t need gutters on your house.

You live in an arid location where there is little annual rainfall. If there is a strong apron gravel or concrete slab you may not need gutters since your home is suitably protected. The landscaping around your home slopes downwards especially when other factors are present. Your roof is already constructed to direct water down the slopes where the gutters will then do their work.

Your home does not require gutters if. If you don t have gutters and downspouts to direct runoff away from your home this will happen every time it rains. Gutters collect rain water from the roof and through downspouts and pipes discharge it away from your foundation. Gutters usually provide a space for water run off to collect thus ensuring the home isn t exposed to the lingering effects of moisture.

Do you battle leaves in your gutters twice or three times a year. No gutters or gutters in poor condition will detract value from your house not only will a lack of gutters or ones with issues hurt your home and affect the sale it could also actively lower your home s value. Why does a house need gutters anyway. A cabin in the woods with squeaky doors drafty windows and moss growing on the north wall doesn t need gutters.

Does the ground slope away from the house. Unless your roof slopes in all directions you probably don t need your house surrounded with gutters. Here are four reasons to install gutters on your new house. But most homes do need a good rain gutter system to collect the storm water that lands on the roof and direct it away from the house to prevent damage to the structure of your home and to protect your foundation and driveway and sidewalk from pooling water on the sides of your home.

Hiring a professional roof inspector can make things easy for you because you can easily know whether the roof needs more protection through installation of the gutters or opt for the house design without gutters.