Living in an apartment usually means that a maintenance crew is responsible for all things on the exterior of the building, including the gutter system. On the contrary, when you purchase a home, you’re the one who is responsible for the upkeep, including the gutter system.
If you’ve never dealt with gutters before, you may not know how to maintain them, how well they’ll protect your home, how long they’ll last, etc. Keep reading our new homeowner’s guide to gutters so you can get to know your gutter system slightly better.
What Does a Gutter System Do?
Gutter systems collect and drain water from a home’s roof and direct it away from the foundation. Gutter systems can prevent drainage issues that cause foundation damage, landscaping damage, flooding, damage to the soffit and fascia boards, and even damage to the roof, among other things.
When a gutter system fails to handle heavy amounts of rainfall or meltwater, excess water will overflow from the gutters, causing them to sag from immense pressure. When gutters sag, it can cause damage to the home’s soffit and fascia boards if the gutter system is mounted to them. Replacing the soffit and fascia boards is an expense that no homeowner wants to deal with.
When a gutter system is functioning properly, it should collect rainfall and meltwater in the gutters, directing it to the downspouts and away from the home. This leads to a drier roof, less of a chance for foundation damage, basement flooding, and other damage that can occur from improper drainage.
What Type of Gutter System Do I Have?
You can determine the style of gutter system you have by quickly examining it. Below are some styles of gutter systems and a little information about each.
Half-round Gutter System
If the top isn’t covered and the inside of the gutter is exposed, you have half-round gutters or open-top gutters. Half-round gutter systems offer decent protection from heavy rainfall, snow, and ice, but they aren’t the best option for homeowners in Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, and surrounding cities.
Half-round gutters clog easily since the inside is completely exposed, requiring you to clean your gutters often to avoid further issues. Because they clog easily, half-round gutter systems are prone to leaks and overflowing – two issues that can lead to significant damage as previously mentioned.
Gutter Guards
If the top is covered and flush with the rest of the gutter then you most likely have gutter guards. Gutter guards protect the inside of the gutter by blocking debris from entering the system, resulting in fewer or even zero clogs, depending on the brand you have installed.
The Greater Kansas City area has four seasons that bring severe weather like thunderstorms that produce hail and strong wind gusts to snow and ice storms. Gutter guards help prevent ice dams from forming and keep heavy snow from accumulating on the gutters that can cause significant damage. Gutter guards, especially from K-Guard, are the best choice for homeowners in and around Kansas City for maximum protection against drainage issues (more on that later).
How Do I Maintain My Gutter System?
Have you determined which type of gutters your home has? If you have half-round gutters or open-top gutters, you’ll need to do some maintenance a few times a year to help them perform their best. You should deep clean your half-round gutter system at least two times per year, more if your home is surrounded by trees. Cleaning them will reduce the chance of clogs and other damage from debris like leaves, twigs, and silt that’s left to sit inside of the gutters.
Gutter guards from other companies require light maintenance, however, zero maintenance is required when you install the K-Guard System. Traditional gutter guards block large debris from entering the gutter system, but debris that does collect on the top of the gutter guard will need to be removed. K-Guard is different from other gutter guard companies because our hood is curved, allowing debris like leaves and twigs to simply slide off, not collect on top of the gutter guard.
Of course, there is more to learn about gutters as a new homeowner. We invite you to take a look at our previous blogs that discuss important gutter information that can be helpful as a first-time homebuyer:
- Here is Why You Shouldn’t Install Gutter Filters
- Does My Asphalt Roof Need Drip Edges?
- Do Gutters Need Splash Blocks?
- Heartland Weather Conditions That Threaten Your Gutters
As previously mentioned, gutter guards are the best choice for homeowners across the Heartland. No gutter system can match the durability and work as well as the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System. Our gutter guards are custom-made from heavy-duty aluminum, cut, and expertly fitted to be a perfect match for your home. From our hood to our gutter and downspouts, the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System can keep water flowing through the system at a rapid pace while blocking leaves and other debris, forcing them to fall off the gutter system rather than accumulate inside it over time.
Contact our team today or call (913) 380-1616 to schedule your free estimate for installing the K-Guard System. We’ll examine your current gutter system and will offer an assessment as well as our recommendations for installing the K-Guard System in your home. We offer our gutter installation service to homeowners across both Missouri and Kansas including, but not limited to, the following locations:
