What are Gutters?
Have you ever thought about gutters and their importance? What are actually gutters? Well, Gutters are horizontal metal parts of the system that are installed along the rooflines and edges of the house. Usually they are installed on a slope so that water easily slides away. There is a soldering of each section of gutter to prevent any leakage of water. Gutters are highly essential for the well being of one’s house as heavy rains can wreak havoc in their absence. They streamline water during rain and snowstorms away from the house and prevent any water clogging. Without gutters, there can be sufficient costly structural damage to the house.
Use of Gutters
Gutters are very important for our household as they channel the waste water to drainage systems outside and thus prevent any household damage due to moisture. Without gutters, rain water will slowly seep into the roof walls and enter the ceiling, concrete floors and even basements. This will lead to damps on the walls and moisture in air. The walls will be hugely damaged, especially during rains if there are no gutters. This is fatal during winters as well. Since hot air absorbs more moisture than cold air, the water from the roofs seeping inside the house will be absorbed by warm air inside. This will make the houses colder in winters. Apart from this, the moisture can condense on cold surfaces like window panes etc, and thus their accumulation can cause fungal deposition as well which can damage the household furniture especially wooden one. They protect the foundation of the home, prevent erosion, mitigating of the home paints, etc.
Types of Gutters
There are many types of gutters available today. They are mostly K style Aluminum gutter, copper, steel, vinyl gutters, etc. The aluminum gutters are more durable since they are rusting free and leak proof. Copper gutters are more stylish in their looks and are popular too, unlike steel and vinyl gutters that get rusted and corroded. Earlier there were wood gutters also, but now they have become obsolete and are used only in restoration works. They also come in many shapes like leaf barrier shaped, round shaped, K shaped, etc
How do gutters work?
Gutters work in a manner that they are open from the top such that rainwater seeps down. They are installed along the roof edges. The gutter section is horizontal which continues into the vertical downspout system which leads to the base of the house. It is cylindrical or a rectangular shaped pipe from where water reaches the ground. Gutters have support systems too that are called hangers which vary in their shapes. There are gutter guards also which protect the gutter from leaves, branches, twigs, etc. Lastly, there can be downspout extensions as well at the end of downspout section which controls the flow of water.
Gutters require periodic cleaning for their smooth and efficient functioning. Their condition should not be such that they are leaking, sagging or broken. They should be free of any debris, waste leaves, mud, gaps or holes. They shouldn’t be pulling away from the house and the water should not be clogged in them as that would become the home for mosquitoes to breed. One can also use leaf guards to prevent entry of leaves in gutters.
Thus, Gutters and downspouts are very important as they prevent any damage to the roofs and foundations by diverting rainwater away to drainage systems and expelling water away. Without them, it would be hard to imagine our comfortable households with proper water supply!
