Replacing the roof is one major investment that no homeowner likes to make. Rather, it needs to be done every 10-20 years, depending on your climate, whether trees are near your roofline, storm damage, and, believe it or not, your gutter system. Paying thousands, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the roof type and square footage, and whether your home has multiple stories, is an investment homeowners hope to make as little as possible, hoping to stretch out their roofs’ lifespans.
While the gutter system and roof are separate home components, they work together to collect and drain water away from the home, keeping the roof and other components like the soffit or fascia drier and protected from drainage issues. A drier roof stays better protected, and an efficient and effective gutter system plays a major role in protecting the roof.
Proper gutter maintenance can extend the roof’s lifespan by preventing water damage, ice dams, and other common issues that hinder the lifespan of our roofs. Keep reading to learn about the connection between gutters and roof longevity.
How Gutters & Roofs Work Together
Did you know that while a roof is the first thing to get pelted with stormwater and drain meltwater, the gutter system works with the roof to keep it drier? Roofs are sloped to prevent water from pooling on the shingles and to keep them drier. The water that lands or melts on the roof drips downward into the gutter system, is carried through the gutters to the downspouts, and is diverted away from the home’s foundation.
Imagine if we didn’t have gutter systems on our homes – water would gush down the roof, landing directly under the roofline, ruining our landscaping, and potentially damaging our siding, windows, and causing foundation damage. The roof would remain wetter longer, potentially damaging the underlayment and causing wood rot. All this damage is costly and can lead to extensive and even structural damage. Therefore, roofs and gutters work together, and the gutters must be effective at draining water from the roof.
Gutter Maintenance Tips to Extend Your Roof’s Lifespan
Gutter maintenance is crucial to keeping it working optimally and efficiently. Living in Kansas City means we have four seasons, some of which bring extreme weather. We also have many deciduous trees that shed leaves and pine trees that shed pine needles, debris that can easily clog a half-round gutter system or a system without a gutter guard or gutter cover.
Clogged gutters can ruin your gutter system and roof. Below are some tips for keeping your gutters clean and working optimally:
Clean Your Gutters Often
Cleaning your gutters regularly helps remove clogs and clear debris that can impede water flow, helping water to flow freely through the system. Think of everything our gutter systems go through each year: severe storms, strong wind gusts that can carry leaves and other debris, heavy rainfall, snow accumulation, extreme heat, and more. Clean your gutters at least twice each year to prevent clogs so water can flow freely through the system.
Deep cleaning gutters is crucial to prevent water damage, roof damage, and foundation damage. You can hire a professional gutter cleaning service or clean your gutters yourself. If you feel comfortable cleaning them yourself, follow our guide to gutter cleaning to ensure they are kept clean year-round.
Inspect Your Gutters
Gutters are out of sight and, unfortunately, sometimes out of mind, and damage can go unnoticed for long periods. To keep your roof drier and better protect your home from water damage, frequently inspect your gutters for damage. Look for signs of wear and tear, like rust or cracks – they should be repaired immediately to prevent further damage. You’ll also want to check for loose bolts and screws if you don’t have a seamless gutter system like K-Guard.
Check for Clogs
It’s a great idea to check for clogs between deep gutter cleaning. Some debris, like leaves and pine needles, is out of sight, while others go unnoticed. Pests can create nests inside gutters that impede water flow. Likewise, insects can make hives or create a breeding ground for unsightly and creepy crawlies that can damage your gutter system. Checking frequently for clogs ensures nothing goes unnoticed.
Install Gutter Guards
While inspecting and cleaning gutters are great gutter maintenance tips, they’re temporary fixes that need frequent repeats to ensure a gutter system works optimally and efficiently. A permanent solution to protecting your roof and gutters is installing gutter guards. They block debris that forms clogs from entering the system, preventing blockages and helping water flow through the system quickly without any issues. However, you’ll want to choose gutter guards that completely block debris; some gutter covers don’t keep all debris out and can cause problems.
Installing K-Guard Gutter Guards protects your roof by keeping it dry by collecting and flushing water through the system quickly. Our gutter product blocks debris from entering the gutters or downspouts, eliminating the risk of clogged and overflowing gutters that can damage your home. Gutter replacement with K-Guard keeps water flowing through the system quickly, keeping up with heavy downpours and rapid ice melt while withstanding severe weather like strong winds and hailstorms. K-Guard Gutters will never overflow, preventing erosion and landscape damage. Therefore, K-Guard is the best option for homes in and around Kansas City.
Our gutter covers are also sleek, adding curb appeal to any home. Whether you have a multiple-story colonial, new construction, historic, or a single-story ranch, K-Guard will complement the beauty of your home and add value. Our gutter covers are available in many colors, including earthy neutrals to vibrant blues and greens. We have plenty of color options in stock and access to 25 extra color options, making it easy to customize your K-Guard Gutters.
Our convenient estimation calculator gives you a ballpark estimate for installing K-Guard Gutters. In just minutes, you can get a FREE quote without having to schedule an estimate to get a feel for the installation cost for gutter replacement. Our installation process is simple, with three easy steps to get lifetime gutters. Contact K-Guard Heartland today for a free estimate, a detailed analysis of your current gutter system, and estimated costs for installing K-Guard on your home.
