Living in a rainy climate can be detrimental to your roof if you don’t drain the rainwater. Moisture that collects from heavy rain finds its way into your crawl space or basement. Condensation from this moisture can cause fungal wood rot, which is very costly to repair.

Not only does this affect the inside of your home, but it also affects your foundation. The buildup of rainwater that hasn’t been drained starts eroding the soil around your foundation. This is the reason why even slanted roofs that allow runoff are still not sufficient.

Draining water from your roof begins with excellent rain gutters and may end with installing scuppers.

Install A Rain Gutter System

The most reliable way of draining water from your roof is by investing in and maintaining a gutter system. This is especially important if you live in a region that is particularly rainy. Gutters are designed to collect all that rainwater and dump it onto the ground. You’ll want a gutter system that steers rainwater away from your home since rain is the primary cause for leakage.

Types of Gutters

When choosing gutters, you have a wide variety to choose from in terms of structure, material, and design. Some common choices include:

• Aluminum, vinyl, galvanized steel, copper, wood (materials)
• K-style and Half-round (design)

Most residential buildings use aluminum gutters because they are inexpensive and prevent costly leaks and clogs.  Galvanized steel gutters are also affordable, but they tend to rust over time. Copper gutters are appealing to the eye and great for coastal regions. Wood gutters don’t take a rain beating well, so they are great for warmer climates that don’t get much rainfall.

K-style and half-round gutters are both designed to drain water from your roof efficiently while offering a sleek design.

Half-round gutters are entirely seamless. This means there will be no leaks, and they also have a faster dispersion rate. This dramatically reduces the risk of mold and water damage that can cost you thousands of dollars to fix.

The “K” shape of K-style gutters increases their strength and their water capacity levels to twice those of half-round gutters. These types of gutters are also seamless and carry water away from your home quickly to prevent mold buildup and leaks.

Effectiveness of Gutters

Choosing effective gutters is just as important as choosing a specific type of gutters. Gutters that work properly and drain water from your roof efficiently slope downward ½ inch toward the downspout in 10-foot increments. Gutters should always be free oh holes, should never sag, and shouldn’t be clogged. Blockages like leaves and other debris drag down the effectiveness of your gutters and can cause leaks.

To prevent any effectiveness issues, clean your gutter regularly. They should be cleaned at least once a year unless you live by a lot of trees, then they should be cleaned twice a year. After heavy rain, it’s a good idea to inspect your gutters as well to make sure there isn’t a huge amount of buildup. You might need to clear it by hand, so make sure you invest in a good pair of rubber gloves.

Extend Your Downspout

Another method of draining water from your roof is by installing downspout extensions.

Extending your downspout can be done using an elbow and connecting the extension piece by screwing it on. It’s a simple process, but you want to make sure of a few things. The water needs to be directed 6 feet or more away from the foundation of your home. You can also connect PVC pipe to the downspout and bury it underground for added protection.

You also want to avoid pointing the downspout toward your driveway. This may seem like a good idea because the water will flow more freely, downward away from your home. However, this can cause your driveway to freeze in the winter, which isn’t ideal if you have cars parked there or walked down the driveway frequently.

Before continuing any this gutter renovation, if your gutters have been overflowing a significant amount for years, you may want to inspect the ground slope next to the foundation of your home. The overflowing rainwater can cause erosion and even create a trench in the solid around the house.

If you do find these trenches, you can fill the gaps with soil. Add enough so that it creates a gentle slope. This will lead water away from your home and prevent water from collecting.

Install Scuppers

Scuppers are placed along the curbs along the roofline. This type of draining system allows water to pass through a metal box to drain water from your roof. The benefits of scuppers include the following:

• Low installation cost
• Virtually no clogging
• Water gets propelled away from the structure
• Can add to the architectural appeal
• Almost maintenance-free
• Used on commercial and residential buildings

Scuppers aid other rain gutter systems. If you’re in a climate that rains heavily, having a supplemental support system to your gutters is crucial and will save you a lot of money in the long run. With scuppers being nearly maintenance-free and typically having a low installation cost, you won’t lose much by adding these to your rain gutter system.

Conclusion

Draining water from your roof is absolutely necessary. If you leave the water to sit, it can seep into attics and other areas of your home and cause mold and fungus to grow. This leaves you with costly repairs that could have easily been avoided.

Using a sufficient rain gutter system along with supplemental methods like extending downspouts or installing scuppers can give you peace of mind knowing your home is being protected. Having a professional install any of these methods is the safest route. Although some people DIY their gutter systems, you want to make sure your gutters are as reliable as your home itself.

Contacting a company like Storm Masters to install your rain gutters for you will allow you to make sure your roof is adequately drained and effectively.

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