Does my house need gutters? Right now, you probably think this is a stupid question, since we have been in a drought. But, it actually is important. When we get rain, it can come down hard and can make a difference. Gutters prevent water from seeping into your foundation by channeling it away from the house. Keep in mind; you're directing a large amount of water onto a very small area at the edge of the roof's eaves. It has the effect of a pressure washer on the soil after heavy rains. In a resent real estate transaction, the house we did an inspection on was only 3 years old. The biggest hit we got, the house needed gutters. Why? The entry had a roof line that would dump several pools of water right on the front porch. Wouldn’t you rather not have the water building up on your porch and not dropping directly on you or your nice landscaping?
Don’t forget the leaf guard on the gutters. This mesh type guard will help keep out all those leaves that will clog the gutters. Yes, it might cost a bit more, but it can save you from climbing that ladder and cleaning the gutters out.
Now on the down spouts, the gutters carrying the rain from the top to the ground can be done several ways. Many people are feeding these into a rain water collection devise. There are so many designer style devises to use. Whereas, other just put a concrete designed block on the ground to help continue to divert from the foundation and landscaping.
Gutters can also protect that beautiful landscaping. Ideally, you can divert the rain water into a rain water catchment tank and use it to water that beautiful landscaping. If you don’t have them over your landscaping, your soil can be washed away and your plants damaged.
Some people think gutters are ugly or workers don’t want to mess with them. When a roofer tells you that those gutters will ruin the boards on your home, ask them this question. "If you had to pay to have your home repaired by someone, would you rather pay for new boards, or have your house lifted and have the foundation repaired"? You do the math. Call several gutter companies and get quotes. You will not realize the difference they will make. Just walk around your house after a hard rain and look at the holes in the ground from the run off points. Or look outside at the points where the rain is dumping on your porch. It will be money spent wisely.
For ALL Your Real Estate and Building needs or questions, call Debbie at (830) 833-4249 / (713) 818-6658 or debbie@vallonerealestate.net
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