Residential homeowners know the value gutters provide. However, they may not understand the intricacies of gutter placement, spacing, and hanging. We will explore the daunting topic of gutter placement and answer critical questions.
Does My Home Need Gutters?
Nearly every home benefits from having gutters installed. Gutters provide an effective rainwater drainage system that cannot be managed nearly as efficiently using either nothing, or other alternative methods. Gutters help substantially lessen or prevent moisture intrusion into the home’s interior. As a result, the chances of mold, mildew, wood rot, and water damage are reduced or eliminated.
How Many Gutters Should A House Have?
When homeowners ask this question, they typically mean, “Should I have gutters around the entire house, or just a part of it?” Historically, gutters were often installed on the front of the house, or portions of the house, where homeowners wished to avoid water runoff from the roof directly onto particular surfaces, such as sidewalks, patios, decks, driveways, and landscaping.
Modern architectural advancements in home designs, including roof layouts, typically mean newer and substantially larger homes possess sophisticated roofs with many different pitches. Because of this, these homes frequently necessitate gutter installation around the roof’s perimeter rather than in selected exterior areas.
With every angle and slope on a roof, water channels somewhere. Gravity dictates that decision. However, where water naturally flows may not be in the best interest of the home or property. Above all, gutters help water drain efficiently to avoid catastrophic water damage to the house.
What Homeowners Need To Know About Gutter Placement
While homeowners may believe that gutters must abut the roofline, this assumption is incorrect. Ideally, gutters should be placed a few inches below the roofline. They need to extend beyond the roof shingles, not align with them.
With proper gutter placement, rainwater does not pull back up on the roof’s underside or cause the fascia boards to be exposed to excess moisture. However, the gutters should not be situated too far away from the roofline because it risks improperly draining off the roof.
To further expound on this gutter placement issue, gutters must be tucked under or behind the roof’s drip edge. That way, water can follow the drip line safely to the gutter. Ultimately, the objective is to ensure that water channels correctly away from the home.
Installing Gutters: Choosing The Right Roofing Contractor
For the average homeowner in Norwood, MA, and surrounding communities, installing gutters may represent the difference between safely channeling water away from their home and catastrophic water intrusion. In Massachusetts, gutters on a home are not “nice to have.” They are a necessity.
At O’LYN Roofing, we understand the intricate nature of gutters. They are not designed to be “one size fits all.” Quite the contrary. Gutters must be tailored to a home’s unique profile and the surrounding landscape to ensure water flows away from the house and collects elsewhere.
If you own a home in the Norwood, MA, or surrounding area, and have questions about the condition of your current gutters, or want to explore the benefits of installing new or replacement gutters, contact the knowledgeable and experienced roofers at O’LYN Roofing today. We will evaluate your gutters and offer solutions for your consideration.
