WHY WE NEED RAIN GUTTERS

Rain gutters are not needed in all kinds of areas such as in arid climates,

they are mainly needed in those areas where the amount of rainfall is

more and we need to save our home from moisture damage. The

damper the climate is, the more we need a properly functioning rain

gutters for our domestic guttering. Here are some amazing facts about

rain gutters you might not have known!

1. The invention of rain gutters

We never normally think about when rain gutters were invented. So here’s

the answer, rain gutters were invented in 1900’s, before the invention of

penicillin and hula hoop. They were designed to carry rainwater from the

roof of the house and drain it directly into the downspouts.

2. What are gutters made of?

Nobody ever knew that rain gutters were once made up of wood. As we

know wood also absorbs water and these rain gutters were damaged

quickly.Nowadays these gutters are made up of a variety of materials

such as lead, zinc, iron, steel, painted steel, and copper, etc.

3. Gutters are a breeding ground for insects

Did you know that if the rainwater is standing in your rain gutters, it’s a

breeding ground for pest, and other insects? Due to this, you need to

clean your gutters regularly.

4. Toys found in rain gutters

As we all know when children are playing with their toys, they throw them

where ever they want. Due to this or any other reason, children’s toys

have been found in rain gutters such as dolls, toy cars, Lego, crayons, and

ball etc.

5. Gutters require a lot of maintenance

Rain gutters demand a lot of maintenance. Sometimes you need to drain

the water standing in the gutter, sometimes they are broken and then

leak, so you have to repair it quickly. Most importantly they have to be

cleaned after heavy rain and the wind otherwise it will clog.

6. Seamless gutters

There are different types of gutters, one of them is seamless gutter. These

kind of gutters are more expensive but are more durable and strong. If

you have seamless gutters fixed in your house, you don’t have to worry as

much about freezing or leaks, they generally last longer than standard

guttering too.

7. When cleaning, use your ladder carefully

It is said that more than 150,000 people fall from the ladder each year

while checking their gutter. So, you better check the weather forecast

before going up for checking or cleaning you gutter, because there is

always a chance of slipping in bad weather conditions.

8. Damaging your home walls

If you haven’t drained the water from the gutter and it is frozen due to

cold weather, it could create a permanent gap in your rain gutter. This will

lead to leakage of water and will damage your walls.

9. Increasing your gutters capacity

If you think that you rain gutter is not that capacious. You can add more

downspouts to increase its capacity.

10. Gargoyles

Ancient Romans and Greeks used gargoyles as their rain gutters.

Gargoyles were used to be a functional and decorative solution to a

problem. They would be fixed to the end of a drainage pipe and then

divert the water away from the buildings. This was before proper guttering

and downpipes were invented.