The 3 Pillars of a Complete Rainwater System For Your Home

What is your home’s biggest enemy?

Water.

Yea, that is a big statement to make but it’s true…

Getting rainwater from the roof to the ground (without the headaches of choked gutters, leaky gutter seams, window and door rot, soggy yards, or basement flooding) fires me up on so many levels! (Weird? Maybe, but it’s for a good reason. I care about your home.) Home is where life and family thrive.

It’s important because I know it can add years to the life span of your home and reduce the penalty of the cost to maintain it.

You and your family shouldn’t have to worry about how safe your home is. Your home should be safe. Period.

It doesn’t have to be a headache.

Your home is an investment. A big one; One of the biggest purchases most people make in their lives.

Over the years, I have personally witnessed how each home faces unique rainwater challenges…

Luckily, these rainwater challenges can be reduced or even prevented.

Each home needs three pillars of rainwater management as a foundation for defeating water before it causes damage to your home.

That is where the complete rainwater system comes into play. It’s the most secure way to ensure that rainwater gets from the roof to the ground every time. To have a complete rainwater system you need 3 pillars.

Those three pillars are as follows:

The first pillar of a complete rainwater system pertains to gutters installed on your home. They have one important job: to collect water coming off your roof and get all of it safely down to the ground.

Gutters protect your home’s siding and more importantly, prevent erosion on the ground around your home. Gutters installed on your home should be pitched to drain all of the water efficiently.

Having higher capacity gutters, such as 6” diameter gutters can move more water faster. Having large 3”x4” downspouts minimizes clogging and maximizes emptying.

At Chimneys Plus, our gutters are fabricated on site based on your home’s exact specifications

Every turn of the gutter is site crafted to prevent leaky corners and provides your home with perfect matching gutters that fit like a tailored glove.

Our Heavy duty .032 aluminum coil is used for long-term strength and durability.

Drip edges are an important part of well-hung gutters and the overall flashing process of a roof.

Drip edges are small metal strips that are found along the lower edge of the roof where there is a gap between the shingles and roofing materials and the roof deck on which the roof sits. They are now required by the International Building Codes to be installed on every roof.

Drip edges create a smooth transition for the water to go from the roof into the gutter itself. It’s the flashing that protects the edges of your roof and prevents water from getting into the fascia board, sub-fascia, and soffit material.

To learn more about proper flashing and three unexpected causes of roof leaks, click here.

The second pillar of a complete rainwater system is guaranteed performance gutter covers (or gutter guards).

This refers to the covers that go over normal gutters to prevent leaves and debris from clogging the gutters, guaranteed. Not all covers are created equal. Not all companies back a strong warranty

With gutter covers, or gutter guards:

• In goes the water
• Out stay the leaves
• No more frequent gutter cleanings

It only takes high winds or a nasty storm to shake loose enough leaves and debris to clog a downspout, rendering your gutter system useless.

So clogged gutters are a problem not only a couple of times in the fall, or in the spring when the tassels and blossoms fall but also after summer’s gusty storms.

To learn more about Chimneys Plus own Gutter Guards solution, known as Gorilla Gutter Guard

The last pillar of complete rainwater systems are working drains or downspouts.

Proper drains not only complete your rainwater system, but they also provide the following benefits to your home:

• Distribute the water far enough away from the home and in a direction so that the water will not flow back to the home
  Our drains are durable because they are built with PVC, not with the flimsy, black, corrugated pipe
• Drains should be designed to be maintained, not just left alone forever. Make sure they have clean out ports. Leaves, roots, critters can stop up a drain. Once this happens, the water will back up all the way to the home and overflow the gutters. More drains are clogged than people realize. Black corrugated pipe is not easily cleaned, and once it’s clogged it usually has to be replaced.

A drain is necessary on your home when the downspout is not enough or when you don’t want the water runoff to just exit near the home. The drain helps extend the downspout until it gets further away from the home and exits into the property or further away.

Getting water away from the house is always important and that is what a complete rainwater system achieves. Drains are not always needed to accomplish this.

Getting water away from the house is always important and that is what a complete rainwater system achieves. Drains are not always needed to accomplish this.

Now that you know what makes a complete rainwater system you may have some questions.

What are some simple steps to maintaining your three pillars of a complete rainwater system once you have it installed?

• Rooftop care – Keep the leaves and limbs off
• Clean and inspect the gutters and covers
• Periodically clean and inspect the drains

Each home is different and will require thoughtful management to protect the home against the headaches of rainwater.

The three pillars have to stand and work together to be successful.
In my experience, gutters that are not working are worse than not having any gutters because of the potential damage they can cause to the home and the foundation.

If you have any questions or concerns about how to maintain your three pillars of a complete rainwater system contact us. Click here to reach out to me, I would love to hear from you.

If you are interested in getting a free estimate for your home click the button below. We can take care of anything related to gutters all the way to roof leaks or chimneys, fireplaces, appliances and more!

Chimneys Plus is your full-service home maintenance company.

Charlie, Owner of Chimneys Plus