You may not be aware of this, but gutter systems have a long and storied history of combining fashion with function. The most obvious example were gargoyles, whose presence on buildings and churches did more than just ward off evil spirits or improve the structures’ appearances; they also strategically hid the drainage downspouts from the naked eye.
Nowadays, people are finding other ways to express their creativity through gutter installation. Here are eight of the best efforts we found.
Did you know that just a few large leaves or as little as 10 pine needles can be enough to block water from flowing through your gutters? Clogged gutters can lead to pooling water, flooding in your yard, and even cracking foundations. That’s why it’s extremely important to ensure that runoff water and snowmelt moves easily throughout your home’s entire guttering system.
So how often should you have your gutters cleaned?
If you’re concerned about debris clogging up your gutters, then you may want to consider a system of gutter protectors. These are usually gutter covers of some sort that are designed to keep out leaves and needles while allowing water to freely drain into the gutters.
If you’ve already started looking for gutter protectors, you’re probably well aware that there are various brands and types of gutter protectors to choose from. Here are five questions to ask yourself before purchasing one.
The autumn season is commonly known as “fall” for a reason. That’s because it’s the time when all those beautiful leaves on your stately trees suddenly decide to cascade down onto the surface of your yard. It’s bad enough that you have to spend your time raking, blowing, and gathering leaves throughout the fall. But the fact that many of them get stuck in your gutters and cause rainwater to spill onto the ground is enough to make you yearn for an apartment lifestyle.
How can you get some “leaf relief” for your gutters? Here are four tips:
Ah, yes – “no-clog gutters”: the Holy Grail of home drainage systems. If you could just find those elusive no-clog gutters, then most of your water runoff problems will simply wash away – literally. But is it really possible to have true no-clog gutters on your home?
Image: ghclark.com
Judging by the ads you see on the Internet, no-clog gutters are just a phone call or email away. Many companies and contractors market their products and services with the “no-clog” moniker, and a few even offer some sort of warranty or guarantee. But do they work as well as advertised?
Some of the simplest — yet most wondrous — parts of nature are the leaves that decorate our trees. They augment the beauty of spring and provide vibrant color during the autumn months. Yes, leaves are beautiful … until they fall into our gutters, that is. Then they become troublesome rubbish. ]
Image: gutterworks.com
Everyone wants leafless gutters, but accomplishing that goal can be difficult. Unless you enjoy teetering on a ladder and scraping wet, soggy debris out of your gutters a few times a year, consider one of these seven alternatives for achieving leafless gutters:
You see it all the time in movies: somebody is about to fall off a roof, and they’re stuck clinging for dear life … to a gutter. But how often does this actually happen? Well, at least once, and it saved a life.
A little boy in Henrico, VA, was simply trying to get his mother’s attention. His mom happened to be outside, so the four year old pulled a chair over to the window, stood on it, and started calling to his mother. Unfortunately, he also leaned against the screen…and it gave way, with the boy falling two stories.
Have you ever wondered what it looks like when your gutters back up and start ruining your house? Just click “Play” above and you’ll witness it up close and personal.
So, what, precisely, is happening here? Well, obviously, his gutters are backed up for some reason. It could be debris in the downspout, it could be that his downspout is blocked by an animal den or similar problem, but either way, that water isn’t draining where it should be. Instead, it’s going where it shouldn’t.
For most of the last decade, owners of copper gutters have had a unique problem: theft, often totaling to the millions in some areas. As the price of copper has steadily risen, thieves have taken to stealing it wherever they can find it. Empty houses are stripped of their pipes and wires, pennies are stolen in a foolish attempt to melt them down, and, naturally, houses have had their gutter systems ripped away completely.
]