Let’s talk about . . . Gutters and Downspouts
photo: via InterNACHI
Gutters and downspouts are placed at the edge of a home's roof. They're usually made of galvanized steel, aluminum, copper, or plastic. Gutters and downspouts are an essential system ensuring rainwater is expelled away from the structure of your home. It's important to ensure that a home's gutter systems are properly installed, maintained, and kept clean.
Typically, homes in the United States use gutters that have a depth of 3-4 inches and the front-edge is 1/2" lower than the back-edge when installed. Joints are either sealed with solder or mastic. Gutter hangers are used to fasten them to your home's structure and should be placed at a maximum of 3 feet apart. If your home is located in colder regions the hangers should be placed at a maximum of 18 inches ensuring they won't fail from the weight of ice dams.
The placement of a home's gutters are dictated by the pitch of the roof. For low sloping roofs, gutters should be placed closer to a roof's surface. However, if the roof is steeper gutters should be placed lower so rainwater can be caught.
Occasionally, you might see gutters that have fine screens placed on top. These screens are meant to prevent debris from collecting inside the gutter system. If your home has this type of gutter system ensure the screens are unobstructed so water flows unimpeded. For gutter systems without screens, homeowners should periodically check and clean out debris that's collected inside. Also, check and clean any collection baskets near downspouts to ensure rainwater flows unimpeded.
photo: via InterNACHI
As rainwater collects inside your home's gutters the water is sloped towards a downspout that ultimately discharges water away from the home's foundation. The downspout should extend at least 4-6 feet away from your home as this will help prevent exterior damage.
Downspouts should be secured at the top, bottom, and alongside the run of the downspout. Where multiple roofs are found on a home - downspouts are integral in keeping rainwater from collecting on a home's multi-roof. It's important to utilize downspouts so that water is discharged into a lower-tier gutter instead of discharging onto roofing materials.
Since we're located in New Jersey we felt it only natural to mention ice dams. Ice dams are caused from the melting ice and snow that runs off a home's roof onto it's gutter system. This run-off then freezes alongside the roofing edge. It's here that water can get trapped, seep into the underside of your home's shingles, and leak into the interiors. If the home has attic access make sure to monitor this space for any leaking water.
Maintaining Your Gutters and Downspouts
Depending on the size of your home, maintaining your gutters and downspouts can either be an easy or tough job. If you find yourself overwhelmed with the task consider hiring a professional. Ultimately, when maintaining your gutters and downspouts you should be replacing any rusty, deformed, or loosened parts. It could be either a hanger, gutter or downspout pipe, and even the screws. Make sure to keep your gutters debris-free so water flows unimpeded. Lastly, make sure collection baskets are kept over downspouts so debris is not carried into this long covered section.
As the old adage goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound cure", with Remedy Inspections, our home inspections ensure that you don't run into unexpected and costly repairs with your investment. Our home inspections include a comprehensive report that’s detailed in our Standards of Practice. Weather permitting, we include aerial drone inspections providing high quality imaging of the home's roof. Finally, we offer additional services in radon testing, termite inspection, and pre-listing inspections. Check out our competitive prices and services!
Place your trust in the knowledge that your home inspection will be detailed, truthful and informative with Remedy Inspections, LLC. We’re conveniently located in Rockaway, NJ and proudly serve all of New Jersey! Call us today (908) 210-5816 for your next home inspection!