Your home’s gutter system is something that’s easy to overlook but is an important part of protecting your home from damage. If rainwater is not properly directed away from your home it can cause damage to your roof, lead to leaks, damage other parts of your home’s exterior, and also damage the landscaping and property around your home as it collects and pools. If your home does not have an existing gutter system you should get one installed as soon as possible. However, there are many types of gutter systems available and your roof also plays an important part in which gutter system for your home you should install.
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Roof Types and Your Gutters
Here are four common roof designs do keep in mind that there are dozens of roof styles a home can have so always be sure to consult a professional for your specific gutter and drainage needs.
- Hip Roof: a hip roof is a triangular-shaped roof with all the sides sloping downward. This roof also has all its edges extending over the side of your home. For a hip roof, most types of gutters work well however, you need to have gutters around all the corners and also have proper draining capacity.
- Mansford Roof: a Mansford roof is a type of hip roof where its four sides become steeper halfway down the roof. Compared to a hip roof this sloping is more severe on the lower sections and Mansford roofs also tend to be a bit intricate in their shingle design. With gutters, you have to be careful with drainage and make sure the system you install can properly remove water given the sloping of this type of roof.
- Gable Roof: a gable roof is one of the most common types of roofing and has two slopes that meet creating a triangle at the top. Gable roofs can vary and some have multiple triangle slopes, domes, and windows. With a gable roof, your gutters will have to be carefully placed to correctly handle draining needs. Typically gutters are placed on opposite sides of the roof creating a rectangle design, Gable roofs can collect water, so your gutters have to be properly installed to work effectively.
- Metal Roof: when selecting a roof metal roofing offers many advantages. Durable and long-lasting metal roofs are often worth the higher installation costs. A downside with metal roofs is it can be hard pairing them with a functional gutter system. When it rains water tends to cascade down a metal roof meeting very little resistance and this can easily overwhelm many types of gutters. If you do install gutters on a metal roof they need to have a high enough capacity and drainage design to handle the faster water flow.
A Note About Roof Valleys
The valleys on your roof affect your gutters and can cause issues such as backup, overflow, and rainwater flowing over the gutter system entirely. Valleys are designed to help water move down your roof in a rainstorm but this increased speed and capacity can lead to issues with your gutters if they are not properly designed for your home’s needs. A solution for this can include using deflectors and corners to reduce the speed of the water flow, so your gutters can easily handle it. However, in some cases, this issue can be corrected by installing bigger gutters and increasing your drainage capacity.
Final Thoughts
As you can see gutters do require some thought to ensure that the system you install will work with your roof and home design. A way to make this process a little easier is to install K-Guard Gutters, K-Guard gutters are designed to work with any type of roof, provide high levels of protection, and also pair well with your home’s design and decoration without clashing with your home’s exterior. If your home does not have gutters or the existing gutter system isn’t providing the level of protection you need K-Guard gutters can be the answer you’re looking for.