• Login
    • Register

Central Oregon BuzzCentral Oregon Buzz

Thesa Chambers, Principal Broker

Contact Us Today At (541) 771-7064
thesa@centraloregonbuzz.com

70 SW Century Dr #110 Bend, OR 97702

  • Menu
  • Home
  • Search
  • Buyers
    • Buyer’s Info
  • Sellers
    • Seller’s Info
    • Sold & Active Listings
  • Communities
    • La Pine
    • Three Rivers South
    • Bend
  • Resort Communities
    • Caldera Springs
    • Sunriver
  • My Listings
  • Blog
  • About
    • Connect with Thesa
    • Connect with me.

How Important are Rain Gutters to Home Maintenance?

How Important are Rain Gutters to Home Maintenance?If you’ve owned a home for a while, you know that water entering the home can be at least a hassle and at worst a cause of major destruction. Not only should keeping water from sneaking into those tiny cracks and crevices be a priority, it could make the difference between owning an asset and owning a money pit. One of the primary ways to protect your home from undesirable moisture is installing gutters.

Benefits

Most people think that the sole purpose of rain gutters is to direct water coming off the roof toward downspouts to keep it from dripping on their heads over doorways. The value of gutters is much more that that, however. Not only that, water moving off a roof can roll under the drip edge of the roof and seep under soffits and eaves, weakening the wood. It seeps between the joints or masonry and the framework, exposing your home to mold and other damage. If subject to freezing temperatures, the water inside the wood freezes and swells, causing internal damage to beams, joists and framing.

When water is controlled, instead of just pouring off of the roof slope, it can:

  • Prevent damage to siding.
  • Prevent staining on brickwork.
  • Preserve overhead garage doors and exterior doors from damage.
  • Stabilize soil and the home’s foundation.
  • Prevent sidewalks, patios and driveways from settling and landscaping from erosion.
  • Protect basements and crawlspaces from flooding.

Doing gutters right

There is much more to gutter installation than simply hanging them from the eaves. In order for gutters to function correctly, they need to have the correct pitch. In general, the gutters should drop one inch in slope for every ten feet in length so that the water runs toward the downspout rather than pooling up in a low spot.

Check your gutters to make certain they are correctly sloped by placing a hose at the closed end of your gutter and allow the running water to gently flow into and through the gutter. Water should only flow toward the downspout.

Downspouts matter too

Make certain that your downspout actually direct the water away from the structure of your home. Optimal would be extending the terminal end of the downspout several feet away from your home’s foundation or onto a concrete or vinyl downspout extension. Alternatively, install underground drainage that leads away from your home’s foundation to the street gutter, or to a drywell.

Sometimes, the end of the downspout gets damaged or smashed. When this happens, water and debris can back up into the downspout and gutter, rendering them useless and setting up your home for potential damage.

Maintenance

Make certain gutters are clear of leaves and debris. Schedule cleaning gutters into your spring and fall schedules. After a major storm, even if your roof has not sustained major damage, clear shingle residue from gutters to avoid problematic buildup.

Conclusion

If you’re looking at a home to buy, make sure the home has gutters installed. If you want to increase the value of a home you’re selling, installing gutters gives buyers peace of mind about potential water problems.

Compliments of Virtual Results

Posted in: General

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post navigation

« Selling Your Central Oregon Home
Vacation Homes & Second Homes »

About Thesa

As your real estate agent, I understand the value of providing the best possible service to every buyer and seller. Listening carefully to fully identify not only your desires but also your needs. Then work diligently to ensure that both are accommodated to the best of my ability. We will stay abreast on changing market conditions, trends, developments and research all factors that could affect the purchase or sale of your property.  My success and your happiness greatly depend upon the quality of the relationship we achieve.  Through personal redefinition of the professional standards set by most agents, I hope set myself apart from the rest and become the first person that you think of for all of your real estate needs.

Search Homes

  • Basic Search
  • Search By Address
  • Search By MLS#
  • Map Search
  • Create an Account
  • Log Into Your Account
  • Connect with Thesa
  • Request a Home Value

Contact Thesa

Thesa Chambers, Principal Broker West + Main Homes
thesa@centraloregonbuzz.com
(541) 771-7064
© 2023 · Equity Framework
The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the MLS. Listing broker has attempted to offer accurate data, but is not guaranteed accurate. All information presented is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Listings Sitemap · Log in