Calculating the Importance of Gutters and Drainage

Are Gutters Necessary?

Yes, gutters are necessary for protecting your home from water damage. They collect rainwater from your roof and direct it away from your home’s foundation.

Without gutters, water can pool around your house, leading to foundation problems, basement flooding, and soil erosion. They also help prevent mold growth and damage to your landscaping.

Regular maintenance, like cleaning out debris, prevents clogging and ensures the gutters work effectively. Overall, gutters play a big role in keeping your home safe and dry.

Dangers of Not Having Gutters

When rainwater hits the roof of a home without proper gutters or downspouts, it falls directly onto the ground and collects around the foundation. If too much water build up in the yard, the soil will oversaturate.

This causes huge puddles of water to form right next to your foundation. No matter what kind of foundation you have, this can cause issues, including:

Water damage isn’t limited to the foundation. Without gutters, your home’s roof and siding can also experience damage. Gutters are meant to keep water away from your home, so you definitely need them if you want to avoid water damage to your home.

How Much Rain Falls on Your Home?

On average, the precipitation in Alabama is 56 inches annually. Parts of Alabama can get major downpours, causing significant flooding problems. To calculate how much rainfall a single-family home gets, we’ll use the example above based on a 1,600-square-foot home. 

• 1” of rain amounts to 997 gallons of water
• 5” of rain amounts to 4,984 gallons of water
• 12” of rain amounts to 11,962 gallons of water

The first catchment area for rainwater is the roof. If the roof is equipped with gutters, the water should collect in the gutters and flow through the downspouts away from the home’s foundation. This design has a separate cosmetic function to keep water-streaming stains off the walls.

Ideally, a homeowner would need to maintain and clean the gutters after each major downpour or at least twice a year. If the gutters get clogged, or the home lacks a gutter system, repair costs for water damage can increase considerably.

The High Cost of Water Damage and Repairs

The most economical way to protect your home is to take precautions and invest in water management before flooding occurs. Once water enters your home and pools in the basement or crawl space for any length of time, you could be looking at a range of steep repair costs. 

• 1 inch of water in the home: $26,807
• 1 foot of water in the home: $72,163 
• Damaged foundation: $105,000

In addition to professional repair costs, consider how your insurance premiums may rise after the damage is done. 

How to Improve Gutter and Downspout Drainage

​​Making sure your home has functional gutters is incredibly important to avoid expensive water damage. There are several ways to make sure your gutters work as efficiently as possible. Here’s what we recommend:

Update Gutters and Downspouts

Remember to update the downspouts too. They’re an important part of the gutter system that further reduces the risk of water damage to your home.

Downspouts are vertical tubes connected to gutters, directing water away from your home’s perimeter to prevent it from pooling around the base of the building.

Without downspouts, water will collect right next to your home during a heavy storm. Eventually, this can cause mold growth, foundation settlement, and damage to the home’s siding.

Types of Downspouts

There are three main types of downspouts:

• K-Style: Paired with 5” K-style gutters, these downspouts look like crown moldings and can carry more water than round downspouts.
• Round: Though they carry less water, round downspouts last longer due to their smooth interior, preventing rust.
• Rectangular: Available in three sizes, these downspouts are known for their strength and durability.

The number of downspouts you need depends on factors such as the climate you live in and the slope of your roof. Typically, installing a downspout every 30 to 40 feet of gutters will ensure the best results.

Install Seamless Gutters

Seamless gutters are made from a continuous piece of material. This means seamless gutters do not have separate sections joined together with joints or seams.

Without these joints and seams, leaks are less common and the gutters require less maintenance. Typically made from aluminum, steel, or copper, seamless gutters provide a sleek and efficient water management system.

Regular Gutter Maintenance

Regular maintenance of gutters and downspouts is important. Try to clean them at least twice a year to remove debris and prevent clogs.

Inspect for rust, replacing any rusty gutters as soon as possible to ensure the system functions properly. Also, look to see if your gutters are sloping improperly. If they are, fix the problem with professional help to avoid water flowing straight into your yard.

Improve Landscape Grading

Landscape grading refers to shaping land to direct water flow away from a structure. Most properties have landscape grading of some kind. If you notice water colleting near your home even with a good gutter system, it might be time to improve your home’s landscape grading.

While landscape grading doesn’t directly affect your gutters, it is useful for after water is expelled from the downspout. Proper grading ensures that the draining water flows away from your home’s foundation. This is especially important for homes near the coast where excess rain and tidal floods are common.

Work With AFS to Improve Your Gutters

Gutters FAQs

Are gutters a part of your roof? 

Gutters play a part in the overall roofing system, but they are separate from the actual roof. 

When should you replace gutters? 

Gutter systems tend to last an average of 20 years. 

However, you should assess the need to replace your gutters by inspecting the system. If your gutters are damaged, leaking, or otherwise not doing what they should it’s time to replace them. 

Can bad gutters cause roof leaks?

Yes, a bad gutter system can cause your roof to leak. If the water has nowhere to go, it will pool in the gutter and damage your roof.  

Furthermore, the weight from pooling water or excessive tree debris can damage your home’s fascia and cause a leak to form on the underside of your roof. 

Related Resources

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The Chattanooga Guide to Gutters

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Ted Dryce

Content Writer

Ted is an SEO Content Writer who has been with Groundworks since 2021. He’s covered home repair topics ranging from crawl space encapsulation to regional soil conditions. When he’s not working, Ted is performing improv comedy and working on his own creative projects.