The real purpose of gutters, explained

5/21/20

The real purpose of gutters, explained

Learn why the gutters around your house protect much more than what meets the eye

Anyone who lives in Florida knows that without gutters, trying to enter or leave your home while it’s raining would be like trying to walk through a waterfall.

But while it’s easy to assume that the only role gutters play is to collect and divert water from your roof’s edge, they actually do much more! As well as their ability to keep you and your family dry, the real purpose of gutters is to actually protect something far more paramount: Your home’s foundation.

The facts about foundations

Your foundation is the most important part of your home—without it, your home simply wouldn’t stand. Not only does your foundation support the weight of your home, it also:

Protects your home from moisture in the ground
Insulates your home against ranging temperatures, and
Prevents your home from sinking into the soil.

To say the least, protecting the integrity of your home’s foundation should be a top priority. Luckily, that’s something that gutters are designed to do.

How rain affects your home’s foundation

If you don’t have gutters, rainwater drips from the edges of your roof and falls around your home’s foundation, eroding your topsoil and leaving your home’s foundation exposed and at increased risk of water damage.

Once the topsoil starts to erode, this creates an opportunity for the water to pool and collect around your home’s foundation. This can eventually cause it to seep into your home’s foundation wall which can lead to a lot of structural issues.

Water damage to your home’s foundation can lead to sagging in your foundation wall and driveway, leading to cracks and structural damage. This damage will eventually show on the interior of your home through cracks in the walls and floors, plus issues with opening and closing doors and windows.