The Disadvantages of Gutters
There are many disadvantages to having gutters on your house. Maintaining the gutters and keeping them cleaned out can be a lot of work. The drainage from their downspouts can ruin the area of your yard that the water from the downspout is directed to. They freeze up with water in the winter, which can cause structural damage to your home. They are very costly, setting you back thousands of dollars for their installation. Does this Spark an idea?
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Damage to Landscaping
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One of the disadvantages of gutters is that the concentration of rain water coming from them needs to go somewhere. This can prove to be a problem for the area of the lawn that the water is directed to flow into. A roof naturally disperses the rain evenly around the sides of the house. With a downspout the high volume of water can flood an area, leaving mud puddles and killing flood-sensitive grass, shrubbery and trees.
Damage to Home
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In a cold climate, water tends to freeze inside the gutters. This causes them to expand and pull away from the house. This can prove costly for repairs every spring. One of the biggest disadvantages of gutters occurs when they are still frozen but the snow on the roof is melting from the bottom up. This slow melt tends to pool with nowhere to go but the nooks and crannies leading into the walls of your house. This can result in some major water problems.
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Dangers
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Leaves cause clogs in the gutters, and they stop working. Gutters need to be cleaned a few times a year for this reason. Even the gutters that claim they never need to be cleaned do! This can be a job that goes on for days, depending on the size of your home. A disadvantage of having gutters is having to work at a height on a ladder, which can be dangerous, not to mention the danger of working around the electrical wires that may be in the vicinity of your gutters. Calling in professionals to clean the gutters can be very costly.
Rodents
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Another disadvantage of having gutters is that they make great homes for members of the rodent family such as chipmunks and squirrels. They scurry along the inside of the gutters as if they are in their natural habitat. They store acorns and other rodent food supplies in the gutters. This not only clogs up your gutters, it also encourages the varmints to feel at home. It doesn't take long for them to take up residence in your attic and inside the walls.
Cost
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One of the biggest disadvantages of putting gutters on your home is the expense. It is very costly to put up these water-carrying drains that are intended to help you to maintain your home. Gutters for an average-size home can costs thousands of dollars. For bigger homes, the expense can exceed ten thousand dollars.
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