The Anatomy of a Gutter System: Educating Homeowners on What’s Beyond the Downspout
Whether you’re mowing the lawn, pressure washing the walkways, or pruning the hedges, odds are you’ve come in contact with your gutter system’s downspouts. But did you know that a gutter system has several other essential components? Let’s examine the anatomy of a gutter system to learn what’s beyond the downspout:
Components of Traditional Gutter Systems
Whether you have half-round gutters, traditional gutters with screens/filters, or K-style gutters, the basic anatomy of most systems is the same. The foundational components work together to collect, carry, and divert water away from a home. Below are the general components of traditional gutter systems:
Trough
The concept of gutters is simple; they’re placed underneath a roof to collect the water that naturally falls due to gravity. The gutter then carries the precipitation toward a downspout, where it’s diverted away from the home. Professional gutter installation companies place gutters strategically to ensure they’re angled and placed in the perfect spot.
Gutters are available in various materials like aluminum, copper, steel, and vinyl. Each material has different maintenance requirements and durability, yet functions the same. No matter the material used, all gutters help prevent drainage issues, keeping the roof dry and the foundation protected from excess water.
Hanger
Have you ever wondered how a gutter system is mounted to a home? A hanger must be installed before the gutters to be mounted upon. Not only does a hanger fasten the gutters to the home, but it also helps support the weight of the entire system. Most gutter installation companies fasten the hanger to the home by mounting it to the fascia board, others to the roof.
Mounting a gutter hanger by securing it under a shingle puts the roof at risk of costly damage. If a gutter system is of lower quality, isn’t made from a durable material, or has preexisting issues, it can damage the roof during severe weather or excess weight of precipitation in the gutter system that tears the hanger off. The result? Missing shingles and a whole lot of roof damage.
Depending on how a gutter installation company mounted the gutter hangers to the roof, it will most likely void your roof’s warranty. When you replaced your roof, it was an investment, one you hoped would last for many years. Unfortunately, many roof warranties have been voided by mounting a gutter hanger to the roof, making homeowners responsible for very costly repairs.
Gutter Apron/Drip Edge
Gutter aprons and drip edges serve the same purpose, but differ in design. They both function to keep water draining from your roof in the gutter, blocking it from entering the area behind the gutters. The difference is that gutter aprons are shaped like an L, while drip edges come in many different shapes like T, Z, and F.
Without a gutter apron or drip edge, water that flows from the roof would be able to seep behind the gutters, making its way toward the soffit and fascia boards, eventually causing mold to grow behind the gutters and causing wood rot.
End Cap
The smallest component of most gutter systems is the end cap. It’s a tiny piece of material, the same as your gutter system’s material, that’s placed over the opening of a gutter where it ends, most often in a corner. End caps keep water inside the gutter so it can eventually make its way to the downspouts. Without an end cap, a gutter would drain the water it collected out the sides, never inside the downspouts.
Downspouts
No gutter system would be complete without adding downspouts. They continue the job of a gutter by collecting the water and dispersing it away from the home’s foundation and landscaping. Without a downspout, gutters would collect water from the roof. Then it would simply fall to the ground directly underneath the gutters. Think of how bad the soil erosion in our yards would be, how damaged our basements and foundations would get, and how unappealing our homes would look. Thankfully, a properly working downspout diverts water away from the foundation.
Components of K-Guard Gutters
At Home Evolutions VA, we’re proud to install K-Guard: a clog-free, complete gutter system. K-Guard differs from traditional gutters in its size, polymer gutter hangers, and its extra component: a curved hood.
Curved Hood
K-Guard is unlike any other gutter system because of its curved hood. The hood is placed directly over the gutter, protecting it from leaves, pests, and other debris that easily blocks up traditional gutter systems. The curved hood allows debris to simply slide off, never allowing it to enter the inside of the gutters. Only water adheres to the curved hood. It then enters the system through the front and back of the gutters through drainage channels.
High Capacity Gutters & Downspouts
Another part of K-Guard that sets it apart is the large sized gutters and downspouts compared to other systems. Our gutters and downspouts are bigger to allow more water to be flushed through the system to ensure it’ll hold up. It even diverts record-setting rain totals.
Polymer Gutter Hangers
Unlike traditional gutter hangers, K-Guard’s are extremely durable and the strongest available, ensuring they hold up against all weather. We place them every 24 inches inside the gutters so the weight of the system is strong enough to support itself and the water inside it. Plus, because we never mount our gutters to the roof, we’ll never void your roof’s warranty.
If your home needs gutters installed or replaced, consider K-Guard : a complete system with mighty gutters, downspouts, and a curved hood, which rapidly keeps debris out and water moving through.
Home Evolutions VA has been installing and repairing gutter systems for many happy customers in Lynchburg and surrounding areas. We can help with all your home improvement needs, from insurance claims to a new roof or gutter system. We’re here to help every step of the way. Contact us today for a free estimate!
