The fact is that, with very few exceptions, every structure on the planet should have a way to move the water that falls on its roof away from the structure itself. The reasons are pretty simple:
- A roof captures a significant amount of rain, and it has to go somewhere. Depending on how big your roof is and how much it rains in your region, you can be dealing with significant amounts of water.
- The steeper your roof pitch is, the faster water will run off your roof.
- As water hits the ground, natural erosion will begin to degrade the foundation of the structure.
- In addition, water accumulation at the base of the building will increase the chance of water intrusion either into the building itself, basements, or other underground substructures that might be part of your structure.
- Water accumulation around the perimeter of a building also increases the opportunity for mold and fungus growth onto the building itself.
- And not to be forgotten, water free-falling from a roof also has the tendency to damage and wash out landscaping.
In general, the ability to manage water run-off from a roof always works to the benefit of the owners and inhabitants of a structure. In other words, make the water go where you want it to go in order to minimize or eliminate water damage and/or erosion.
The mechanism to manage water from a roof is accomplished via gutter and downspout systems. Gutters capture the water as it drains off the roof and the downspout systems channel the water to an intended location.
Gutters and downspouts systems come in a wide variety of materials ranging from vinyl, plastic, aluminum, copper, lead or zinc-coated copper, galvanized steel, galvalume (aluminum made to look like galvanized steel), and even cast iron. Believe it or not, even wood gutters are available. The prevailing top materials are Aluminum (for cost and color availability), Copper (because it just looks so good and lasts forever), and Galvanized Steel (for that “tough” industrial look).
Seamless gutters are gutters that are extruded by a machine to a desired length. This has the advantage of reducing the risk of leaks between components and enhances the installed look. In addition, it improves and speeds up the installation process.
Regardless of the type of gutter material that you select, having a gutter and downspout system goes a long way to protecting the investment made in your structure.