Whenever the rains come, water will flow down your roof and the sides of your house. You might think that the rainwater would be able to find its way inside your property by seeping into openings and crevices, thus filling up your basement or dripping down the ceilings and walls—such a scenario would be a disaster, as not only will your house sustain damage, but the resulting dampness and moisture can also provide a breeding ground for moulds and other harmful organisms that can further destroy your possessions and put your family's health at risk.
It's a good thing, then, that there's no way such a thing would actually happen in your home. Why? Because at the time of your house's construction or its last renovation you made sure to have high quality gutters installed on your roof—and that has made a big difference in terms of protecting your home from water's destructive properties.
What do gutters do?
Basically, gutters are designed to channel water coming down the roof away from a house's structure; instead, it directs water down to the ground.
If your home is set to undergo another renovation or if you are having a new one built, then having the best kind of gutter installed is a must to ensure the structure's protection during rains. Here are key factors you need to keep in mind when choosing gutters to use:
Be discriminating about the guttering material
There is more than one kind of material that is used for manufacturing gutters. Visit any hardware or building supply store and you'll find gutters made from copper, steel, PVC, zinc aluminium alloys, Colorbond or Zincalume. Your choice of material will depend largely on the kind of material that was used for your roof—the guttering must be made of material that is compatible to that of your roofing. Otherwise, the materials may clash or cause damage to each other.
Consult a professional about the type of gutter that is best for your property.
There are four common kinds you can choose from:
Square fronted gutters have overflow slots that work well in heavy rains. These gutters are excellent at hiding the edges of roof sheets, thus creating a more attractive appearance.
Half round gutters are named such because they appear to be in the shape of semicircles. They are less prone to collecting debris, and when they do, they have a high capacity for it. If your home is built according to more modern, Tuscan or Spanish styles, this type of gutter would be a great complement.
Box gutters are the ideal choice if you want the gutters completely hidden from public view. They are named such because they are "boxed" into the roof and are not visible to people in your garden or the rest of the house's surroundings.
Quad gutters are some of the most popular types. They come in a wide range of sizes and thus suit a large number of homes. New homes, as well as more traditional Colonial and cottage-style structures, can benefit from this type of gutter.
Make sure to pick gutters in the right colours. Aside from mistakenly choosing gutters that do not work well for your property, choosing the wrong colours for your gutters can be a big hassle. People put much work into having a beautiful home built, and the last thing that you would want to do is to choose gutter colours that do not mesh well with the roof or the rest of the property. While a gutter's function is still your top concern, be sure to think about the colour next — you'll want gutters that fit in nicely with your aesthetic vision for the house so that it can inspire greater visual interest thanks to its unified look.