Top 4 Ways Gutters Protect Your Home - Gutter Protection
Heavy rains, wind, and debris in the Pacific Northwest can cause damage to your roof, siding, landscape and more. An efficient seamless gutter system is essential to protecting your home throughout the year, in every season. Washington state receives about 38 inches of rainfall per year on average and over 100 inches in some places. With rain falling at least 149 days, throughout nearly half of the days in the year, Washington state is one of the wettest climates in the Pacific Northwest region. Gutters help direct water, leaves, and debris away from your home, off of your roof, and to the ground below which will eliminate damage that can easily be prevented. Working in conjunction with the roof, the two create an efficient system that defends against the harshest weather elements.
- Protect Your Roof
Most Northwest roofs receive an average of 38 inches of rainfall annually. That is roughly 78,729 gallons of water each year! Gutters control water runoff from the roof, directing it away from your home and safely to the ground below. Gutters protect the fascia and roof deck from potential water penetration which can lead to rot and leaking.
- Protect Your Siding
51 percent of all homeowner insurance claims are attributed to water damage and other weather-related causes. The right gutter system will keep water moving, preventing overflow and protecting the siding of your home from water damage. Excessive water will cause siding and paint to prematurely weather, bubble crack, rot, and eventually fail. This will result in costly siding repairs.
- Protect Your Foundation
A leading cause of foundation damage is excess water. Water should always be diverted away from your home. A gutter system will guide water away from the foundation of your home for protection from eroding soil. Shifting foundations from soil erosion can lead to cracks, allowing water and pests into the home.
- Protect Your Landscape
80% of plant death, along with other major landscaping issues are caused by water stress from excess pooling water. Gutters are an essential part of keeping excess water away from your landscaping, preventing erosion and ponding. Soggy landscaping provides and suitable environment for fungus growth and causes damage to plant foliage such as wilting and rot.
Should I Install Gutter Guards?
For Northwest homes, the best solution for leaves, needles and other debris is a seamless aluminum gutter system that is the correct size for your roof. In many cases, the oversized 6-inch system is ideal, with 40% more water capacity, and oversized downspouts that prevent clogging.
There are several different types of gutter guards, but ultimately they all present a similar problem. Solid guards lower the gutter system’s ability to properly intake water, leading to overflow in heavy rains, common in the Northwest. Mesh and plastic gutter screens trap needles and debris, quickly becoming clogged. Screens are susceptible to UV rays and fail over time. Gutter brushes catch leaves, needles, cones, and other debris clogging, and requiring more work than a traditional gutter system without.
For more information on all the benefits of a seamless aluminum gutter system visit our gutter page at https://www.valentineroof.com/services/gutters or call (206) ROOFING to get a fast and free gutter estimate!
