Buying a new home is an exciting time—especially if you’re a first-time buyer—but you’ll quickly realize that there’s a lot that goes into homeownership. From the basement to the roof, you’ll need to be well versed in every aspect of your new house.
One thing that can’t be overlooked is your gutters. Though they’re small and not always easily seen, they play a vital role in keeping your property safe.
We put together this ultimate homeowner’s guide for gutters, so you’ll never be in the dark when it comes to your gutters.
Why are gutters important?
Your gutters protect nearly every aspect of your home by directing rainwater off your roof and safely to the ground, away from your foundation. Without them, your roof can leak, your siding can get damaged and you could experience foundation troubles.
The different gutter materials
Much like siding and roofing, you have quite a few choices with your gutter materials. These are a few of the most common types:
- Aluminum: Lightweight yet durable, aluminum is one of the top gutter choices. It’s also an inexpensive material; however, thin aluminum can be prone to dents and other types of damage.
- Copper: If you’d like your house to stand out, copper gutters are a good choice. These are extremely weather resistant, but they do cost the most out of others on the list.
- Steel: Another durable material choice is steel. They won’t dent or crack, but steel gutters can get rusty over time.
- Vinyl: Our homeowner’s guide for gutters wouldn’t be complete without vinyl. These are the least durable type (so we don’t recommend them) but they are the cheapest option.
Maintaining your gutters
Simply installing gutters isn’t enough to guard your property against water damage—you also need to ensure they’re in good shape. Here’s what to know about gutters when it comes to maintenance:
- Install gutter guards: Our top piece of advice for new homeowners is to put gutter guards on your new gutters. These block leaves, twigs and other debris from falling in the gutters, reducing the need for as much maintenance down the road.
- Clean them: Clogged gutters are ineffective at directing water away from your house, so they need to be cleaned twice a year. Even if you’ve installed gutter guards, it’s not a bad idea to get up on the roof and make sure there aren’t any blockages.
- Inspect and repair them: Check for any cracks or holes while you’re cleaning out your gutters. Any gutter damage also makes them ineffective, so the repairs need to be made right away. While you may be able to make some minor repairs on your own, we recommend bringing in a professional to take care of it.
We can handle all of your gutter work
The final thing in our guide of what to know about gutters is who to call for all of your gutter work—and the answer is L & S Seamless Guttering. We do everything from gutter and gutter guard installation to repairs and maintenance. Call us today to schedule your appointment.
This post first appeared on https://lsseamlessgutter.com/