Why Gutter Systems Are So Important!

April 9, 2021

Most of the time, we have a tendency not to notice the systems in place that help us with our everyday life.

Take the highway system for example. Most people take it for granted that at any given time, you can find a road that leads to a highway system that can take you anywhere in the United States.

Systems are in place to help us, save us time, and in some cases save us money. This happens to be what your home’s gutter system does for you. A functioning, working, and correctly installed gutter system should help your home stay dry, save you money, and with the right gutter guards – save you time from cleaning leaves :).

This is why today we will share some helpful information as it relates to your home’s gutter system, including:

What your gutter system consists of
What you should know about your gutter system
How to properly maintain your gutters

Gutter Systems 101

Just because you might not pay attention to your gutter system – which is perfectly OK – it’s important to at least have a basic understanding of what your gutter system does.

What your Gutter System Does

Your gutter system has one, very simple purpose – to displace water during storms. Water that is collected by the surface of your home’s roof is channeled down to the side of your home where it is gathered in your gutter troughs. Without gutters, the water would run down the side of your home penetrating your siding and possibly even entering your home.

Instead, when you have aluminum gutters installed, the water actually runs into them to be displaced in a downspout. The entire gutter system consists of:

Your seamless gutters
Downspouts
Splash Blocks or other downspout drainage solutions

A working gutter system will help prevent the following gutter/erosion issues that may occur with broken, missing or no gutters:

Water leaks around siding, fascia boards, or roof
Foundation issues
Basement water leaks
Erosion of landscaping, driveway, or other surfaces
Mosquitos
Gutters that are not clean will fall

Types of Gutters

You might be wondering if there is one gutter system that is better than another, and in most cases, the type of gutters most homeowners will choose is aluminum gutters. That doesn’t mean you don’t have other options, but as far as durability, selection, and price are concerned – seamless aluminum gutters are the best.

The other types of gutters include:

Seamless Aluminum
Sectional Vinyl
Copper
Steel

Most gutters come in what is typically called “K Style” gutters, but there is also the half-round option look which is more commonly seen in Europe or on mansion-type homes.

Replacing Your Gutter System

Based on how old your gutters are and their current condition, you might be exploring replacing your existing gutter system. If you are asking yourself what to look for to know when to replace your gutters, some obvious signs you need a new gutter system include:

Pieces of your gutters are missing
Your gutters are falling off of your house
There is a visible gap between the edge of your roof and the gutters
Water is leaking from your gutters
During rainstorms, water seems to “Fly” off your roof like a waterfall
You simply want bigger, better, or new color gutters

How Much Does a New Gutter System Cost?

We have written extensively about the cost of replacing your gutters. On average, 150’ of gutters will cost a homeowner $990. Here at Gutter Gurus, we charge the following for gutter replacement:

6-Inch Gutters: $6.50 Per Linear Foot
5-Inch Gutters: $5.50 Per Linear Foot
Raindrop Gutter Guard: $10 Per Linear Foot

This price includes installation as well as disposal of the old gutters. As you can see, with the national average being $990 for seamless aluminum gutters, if you were to replace your gutters with new 6-inch gutters at $6.50 per linear foot, at 150 feet you would spend $975.

Don’t worry though, we make the process easy with our gutter calculator here:

DIY Gutter Calculator

Figure out how much to pay for new aluminum gutters & gutter guards for your home!

START HERE

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Select a Size

5" gutters come with 2"x3" downspouts, 6" gutters come with 3"x4" downspouts and drain 400% faster than 5" gutters

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Choose Your Color

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Wicker

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Ivory

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Estimate Footage for 5" Gutters

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Just the Gutters

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Just the Downspouts

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Lifetime No Clog Warranty

Raindrop Gutter Guards are an absolutely fantastic way to save time and extend the life of your gutters, roof, and home. By adding Raindrop Gutter Protection System to your order, we guarantee a lifetime of free flowing gutters.

Gutter Guards

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Choose Your Color

Please select a color that best works for your home.

Wicker

Dark Green

Dark Grey

Eggshell

White

Ivory

Light Grey

Musket Brown

Red

Cream

Clay

Brown

Bronze

Black

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Estimate Footage for 6" Gutters

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Just the Gutters

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Just the Downspouts

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Lifetime No Clog Warranty

Gutter Guards

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Final cost

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Summary

Description	Information	Quantity	Price
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This is simply an online estimate. The final price depends on the accurate measurement of linear square feet, communicated before installation. This is not a contract. Simply, a rough estimate of gutter pricing that is subject to change depending on the total footage. The minimum gutter installation starts at $650.

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ORDER YOUR NEW GUTTERS!

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How to Properly Maintain Your Gutter System

Now, what we always reminder homeowners is that your gutter system is only as effective as your maintenance of it. In other words, if you don’t keep leaves out of your gutters and protect it, the overall system can become less efficient and may even break.

This means most owners have two options:

Gutter Guards
Annual Gutter Cleaning

Gutter Guards

It might seem funny, but protecting your gutters from leaves and debris is essential to a properly working gutter system. Leaves may appear dry and brittle, but clogged in your gutter, they actually become very heavy and can cause problems.

That is why we recommend a gutter guard. However, not all gutter guards are created equally and there are things you should always consider before installing gutter guards:

Are the gutter guards self-cleaning? If you have to clean your gutter guards, what is the point in getting them?
Do they come with a gutter guard warranty?
Are they a “Screen,” “Vinyl,” or “Mesh” guard? If so, they may be cheap, but they often break and cause more issues.

After factoring in all the above questions, the logical choice for many is a surface tension gutter guard that is self-cleaning. This means it will let the water go through but also you won’t have to clean the guards themselves.

We have ranked used different gutter guards and leaf protection in the past, but to this day the best product we have found is the Raindrop Gutter Guard. The best thing about Raindrop Gutter Guards installed by the Gutter Guru team is that they are:

Self-cleaning
Have a LIFETIME NO CLOG WARRANTY
Are only $10 per linear foot!
Pay for themselves in 3-5 years vs. paying someone to clean them

Regular Cleaning

Of course, the other option to getting gutter guards is to pay to have your gutters cleaned or do it yourself. Gutter cleaning is no simple job and is actually dangerous because it involves ladders.

Though it is necessary if you don’t protect your gutters, we typically tell homeowners to avoid cleaning their gutters themselves but to instead have someone do it for them. If you insist on DIY Gutter Cleaning, just be sure to have someone help you, exercise extreme caution with your ladder, and plan prior to cleaning!

Final Word – Gutter Systems Matter!

If you haven’t gathered it yet, your home’s gutter system matters. A gutter system is one of the first lines of defense for protecting your home after your roof. That is why we make the process of understanding gutters simple and if you have any questions be sure to reach out here or simply use our gutter calculator tool!