How Long Can a House Go Without Gutters?

Everything depreciates as time passes. A house built in 2022 won’t look as beautiful and modern as a house built in 2075. It is normal for a house to lose its beauty but when your house starts to get older than its age, this entails that it lacks proper maintenance. This is why maintenance faculties like gutters are installed in a house to avoid certain damages that can cause your house to look older than its age and to help increase its life span.

Gutters are infinitely essential if you want a long-lasting home and safety with your house’s foundation and structure.

When does your house need a gutter?

A gutter is inconsequential for homes in the arid or desert region. Houses situated in areas that experience rainfalls must ensure they install gutters. A house located where there is heavy or constant rainfall won’t pass the taste of time without gutters. However, gutters do help add to the aesthetic of a home.

Why are gutters installed?

Gutters are installed to channel the flow of water away from your house. Rain water has the negative effect of causing damage to your house, hence, the need for a gutter system.

Why does your house need a gutter?

Before the 1900s, gutters did not exist and houses were constantly renovated. The need for a structural system that could avoid the hazards that come with rainfall emerged. Thus, in the mid-1900s gutter systems arrived to meet this demand.

Starting from the mid-1900s and up till today, gutters have been saving thousands from the horrible experiences that are associated with rainfall and are still here to save you from such horrible experiences. Some horrible experiences gutter installation can save you from include:

1)A Damaged Foundation.

When gutters are absent in a house, rainwater pours down every side of the roof down to the ground and forms a circle of water around the house. This water is then absorbed into the ground. When the ground can no longer absorb water, a circle of water will be formed around the house. This water will eventually reach the foundation and begin to cause wear and tear. With time the foundation will be ruptured and your home will deteriorate.

2) Basement Flooding

If you experience basement flooding sometimes or you have been experiencing basement flooding. Then, it is a result of no gutters in your home. Another is, that if you experience constant or heavy rainfall and have not yet experienced basement flooding, it is likely you would experience it soon.

Basement Flooding is a total wreck. A basement serves as a storage unit for properties. When it gets flooded, it will certainly lead to the loss of properties since many of the properties will get damaged and will land in the trash. You can stop or prevent this nightmare by simply installing a gutter system.

3)Loss of Physical and Monetary Value:

The physical value of a house is what determines its monetary value. When a house is damaged it won’t be appreciated by sightseers or buyers. Before rainfall gets down to the ground to reach the foundation, it will first land on the walls of your house. This leads to painting peeling, cracked walls and molds, and mildews on the wall. After some time your house will begin to look irritating and you won’t be able to sell it out unless it is properly renovated which will cost you a lot.

The beautiful gardening that decorates the exterior of your home will be destroyed by erosion caused by the rush of water flowing down from the roof. Just imagine how terrible your compound will look after this happens.

Not just the state of your building is at risk but also your health. Stagnant water formed during rainfalls serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

How to Clean Gutters

Cleaning the gutters in your home is as important as installing them. A gutter clogged by debris won’t work efficiently and may cause more harm than good to your house.

Some basic Cleaning Steps are:

1)Get a Helping Hand: A helping hand is necessary when it comes to cleaning gutters. A friend, a family member, or even your neighbor can assist you in your work. Getting someone to help you is essential as far as you don’t want to get injuries from climbing a ladder. The individual will hold firm the ladder when you are up cleaning and will help give you the items and tools on the ground.

2)Get a Ladder: Gutters in tall homes cannot be accessed without the use of a ladder.

3) Purchase a gutter scoop: A gutter scoop is an effective gutter cleaning tool but is not suitable for shorter people and tall buildings.

4)Wear Protective Clothing: Properly cover your body when cleaning the gutters to avoid particles of debris from entering the eyes, nose, ears, etc.

5) Grab your cleaning tools: People use their hands to clean gutters. A trowel, long brush, or a leave blower is better than using your hands.

6)Check for leaks: If you find leaks in your gutter use water-resistant tape to cover them or contact a professional to do the job.

7)Use water: Water is a cleaning agent used for daily domestic purposes. Use running water for a pipe to wash out dirt from the gutter.

8)Apply Car Wax: The application of car wax is not a very important step in gutter cleaning and can be omitted. I love applying car wax after cleaning my gutter because of the shine it gives the gutters. Before applying car wax, don’t forget to dry first.

9)Install a Gutter guard: If you don’t want to spend time cleaning your gutters frequently, then install a gutter guard. Gutter guards prevent debris from clogging the gutters.

10)Hire an Expert: If you find it difficult to clean gutters then hire an expert right away to do the job and save yourself the stress. An expert would do the job smoothly and efficiently.

Finally, it is important to note that gutters vary in style and have different material structures. The best to install is the K-style gutter which properly disposes of water and the gutters made of zinc material are highly durable and resist corrosion.