When you think of all the different parts of your home, you may not think of gutters as one of the most important aspects. But gutters play an absolutely vital role in your home’s defense system, and does much more to protect your home than you may think. In fact, getting new gutters when you get a new roof in Plymouth Michigan can help the roof last longer and also help to prevent damages to your home from water. Here are some tips to help you better understand gutters and why they are so important.
Why Your Home Needs Gutters in Plymouth Michigan
Many times when a roofing contractor is installing a new roof on your home they will try to sell you gutters as well. This isn’t just a sales pitch and having gutters installed when you get a new roof installed can certainly help. There are many factors that will determine just how much or how little they help but in almost every case they do help to prevent damages. To understand more, we’ll take a closer look at gutters and just how they help your home.
What Do Gutters on Your Home Actually Do That is So Important?
Gutters serve three main purposes when it comes to your home. The first, is that your gutters will divert any water from your roof away from your how and down to a safer location. By keeping the water away from the home, you prevent soil erosion around your home. The second purpose is to prevent water from sitting on your roof to allow leaks or mold to form. Lastly, gutters prevent moisture damage to other parts of your home like siding and windows.
What Happens Without Functional Gutters?
It isn’t enough to just have gutters on your home. They also need to be installed correctly, be free of damage, and can’t have any obstructions. Otherwise, water can leak out or overflow. Without functioning gutters, you are opening your home up to problems including:
Roof Leaks
When your gutters are obstructed and water cannot flow out, the moisture can end up overflowing and sitting on your roof. This sitting water allows moisture to work its way into your home through your roof, causing a roof leak. In winter when temperature reach freezing, ice dams can also form, causing damage to the roof covering and allowing moisture to get in.
When roof leaks occur, water can pool in your attic, allowing for issues like structural damage. This includes warping, rotting, and weakening to the support system, which can eventually cause sagging and even cave ins. Roof leaks are also linked to electrical shock and fire risks when the moisture spreads. There is also a huge issue with mold.
Unhealthy Mold Growing in Your Home
Mold is one of the biggest issues when it comes to not having functioning gutters. Mold can form and spread both on the roof itself, and inside your attic. But no matter where the mold begins, if not taken care of, you can expect mold to spread to the rest of your home, impacting everything inside it and your health. Mold can lead to respiratory issues, skin irritation, and allergies.
Sunken Foundation
When too much moisture builds up in the soil around your home, it can cause erosion. When erosion occurs, the soil shifts, making the ground around your home loose and allowing your home to sink. This is something that will not be obvious overnight, but will continue to happen until the ground dries and soil regains its stability. However, you will end up paying a lot of money to re-level your home and return it to how it was before sinking. Sinking foundations also make it easier for basements to flood.
Further Moisture Damage
There is also a concern for moisture getting onto your siding, windows, doors or any other exterior surfaces of your home. This can lead to water stains, dampness, mildew, rotting, warping, and lots of costly repairs.
Get a Quote Even if You Don’t Have Gutters Now
If your home currently doesn’t have any gutters installed, you can still have them installed. Call the roof experts at Home Pros Plymouth today for a free quote on gutter installation. They offer no obligation pricing quotes and information to help you make a more informed decision about your roof. Call today at (734) 548-9911.