How Do Gutters Work?

The question posed in the title of this post might seem a little silly at first. Don’t we all know how gutters work? On the surface, gutters seem pretty simple – but there is more going on behind the scenes than you might understand. And, improving your understanding of how the gutter system on your home works can help you spot problems and make good gutter maintenance and replacement decisions. So, with this post, we want to offer some quick insight into how gutter systems operate and what you need to know as a homeowner. Let’s dive in!

A Three-Stage System

To gather the water that falls on your home and direct it away from the house, there are actually three elements that need to work together properly.

First, the slope of your roof is going to use gravity to feed the water down toward the edges of the house. Without a sloped roof, water would simply collect on top and it would inevitably do damage over time. Some roofs feature steeper slopes than others, and that is a factor that needs to be considered when designing a gutter system. Generally speaking, steeper roofs will want to use larger gutters and bigger downspouts, as the water is going to come off the roof faster during a storm.
Once the slope of the roof has done its job and directed the water down toward the edges, it will be up to the gutters to catch that water. Gutters need to be firmly attached to the home to do their job properly, and they should be cleaned regularly to allow the water to flow as it should.
Lastly, the gutters will send the water to the downspouts, where it will be carried down to the ground and away from the foundation of the house. As with the gutters, the downspouts can only work properly if they are free from debris and in good condition. The area around the bottom of the downspout should be left clear so the water can disperse and drain down into the ground.

Clean Gutters Work Best

We mentioned it above, but it’s worth saying again here – for your gutter system to work properly, it needs to be clean. If you allow your gutters to get clogged with various types of debris, the flow of water will be restricted, and the gutters won’t be able to do their job correctly. Periodic gutter cleaning performed by a professional team is a good start toward keeping the flow of water moving, and you may want to consider adding gutter guards as another layer of protection.

Work with the Right Partner

No matter what your gutter needs happen to be, working with the right Portland contractor on this project is essential. With Stumptown Gutters, you get a team that is dedicated to delivering outstanding results on each and every project. By using the right products and using our knowledge and experience to install those products correctly, we can deliver the performance you need to deal with the persistent Pacific Northwest rains. Thanks for stopping by!

Stumptown Gutters Portland Oregon