One of the more important areas of your home's exterior is the roof gutters and downspouts. Adequate gutters are essential to provide precipitation drainage from off your roof and out away from your home's foundation. Here are some recommendations for the installation and maintenance of your roof gutters.

Install and Repair Gutter Problems

If you are repairing your home's existing rain gutters, they may have sections that are cracked, sagging, or broken off the edge of your roof. With a new length of gutter, you will want to make sure the gutters slope slightly to either side of the roof to the corner edges and downspouts. You can slope a gutter to one side or the other, or you can also slope the gutter from a central point to the middle of the roof's edge and off to both sides. This is helpful when you need more than one or two downspouts to provide full drainage on your roof. However, make sure a full length of gutter is attached to the lower section of each roof slope.

Update Your Gutter System

When you are replacing your home's gutters or installing a new set on the roof, you have the opportunity to update your home's gutter system with one that has additional features and quality improvements that make it more efficient or longer-lasting. Contact a gutter installation professional about options for new gutter installation and the types of gutters you can choose from your home's roof.

For example, if you have a large number of trees in your yard, you can update your gutters with gutter guards that protect them from filling with organic debris. This will keep your gutters clear so they can drain properly no matter the season. Gutter guards come in several types and styles so consult with your gutter installation professional for a good recommendation for your home.

You can also order a new set of gutters that are made on-site and formed without seams through the length of the gutter. Seams create a weak spot on your gutters that are prone to leaks as they age and come detached from one another. So with seamless gutters, your installation professional will build them to fit your roof's edge perfectly and attach them with the right slope. 

Protect Your Home Foundation

The downspouts on your gutter system need to be attached at a corner connection of your roof's gutters and should be wide enough to drain water from the roof and away from the foundation of your house. If your roof's surface area is larger or you live in a region that experiences heavy rainfall, look to upgrade your downspouts to a wider style. This will help the downspouts carry the water flow from your roof during heavy precipitation.

Contact a rain gutter installation contractor in your area to learn more.

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