From preventing erosion to preventing pest invasion, gutters play a vital role in protecting your home’s foundation. Gutters provide many benefits for your home, as they channel rainwater off the roof and ensure it doesn’t pool around the base of your house. Erosion and damage to vegetation can also occur without the presence of gutters. 

Here are a few main ways in which gutter systems protect your foundation.

Gutters Prevent Infiltration

Water tends to follow the easiest path down. So as it makes its way down your siding, it can seep into the small cracks between your concrete foundation and the surrounding ground. The soil underneath the foundation base will then get saturated, where it will exert up to 5,500 pounds per square foot of pressure on the edges and corners. Gutters will shield the edges of your home from this runoff and divert it into the proper drainage channels.

Gutters Help Prevent Basement Flooding

Water that is not properly channeled away will accumulate around the foundation and seep into your basement. Over time, this can result in significant damage, such as the growth of mold and mildew, and rotting wood. The moisture will also weaken the foundation itself so that it shifts and cracks. Gutters will reduce the risk of basement flooding by ensuring water is directed away from the home.

Gutters Work to Prevent Foundation Cracks and Settling

As water accumulates around your foundation, the soil underneath will expand and contract, especially if you have clay-heavy soil. This movement leads to cracks in the foundation, and then to uneven settling. With enough time, you may start to notice your doors and windows have become misaligned, or your walls have started to crack. Your floors may even become uneven. Gutters will maintain consistent moisture levels around your foundation, reducing the risk of soil movement.

Gutters Can Prevent Erosion

The constant flow of water from the roof washes away the soil surrounding the foundation, resulting in uneven settling or shifting. As the foundation becomes less stable over time, structural damage can result. 

Gutters Help You Avoid Pests

Pests can get into the smallest of cracks in your foundation. Plus, they like to hang out in stagnant water pools around your home. This standing water is a breeding ground for fungi, wood-burrowing pests, and biological growth. Because gutters catch runoff water from the roof and divert it away, they keep water from pooling and pests from gaining easy access to your home at the same time. 

Although gutters are an essential part of any roofing system they aren’t a one-and-done deal. They need to be inspected and adjusted every so often to ensure they’re doing their job properly. They also need to be cleaned regularly to ensure they are free of blockages and functioning as they should. This will help to safeguard your foundation from water damage.

Contact Hi-Tech Windows and Siding for Gutters and Downspouts

 

Look to Hi-Tech Windows and Siding to install high-quality roofing systems as well as gutter systems to protect your home and foundation. Contact us today at 800-851-0900 or Request a Quote online.