Why Gutters?

A quality gutter system provides a number of benefits in managing run off water. As we know, West Texas can have deluges, and in some years, the rainfall is appreciable. Redirecting (or even collecting) this water to route it away from our homes or other buildings is important.

An obvious benefit is convenience... a gutter over an entry way, porch or garage will prevent the area from becoming a waterfall during rain, helping you, your family and guests not get drenched. Gutter systems also, more importantly, help reduce the risk of water or moisture damage. Water that collects by a home or other building can often find unseen ways to creep into woodwork, siding, or the foundation (in addition to being a nuisance to walk or drive through).

The basic elements of a gutter system:

Structure Roof - This may seem ridiculously obvious, but the roof plays a huge part in how a gutter system is designed and how effective or efficient the system can be.

Gutter - The gutter itself, which is often an attached channel or other causeway that is designed to collect and direct water along a specific route.

Downspouts - Pipes and tubes which are the final destination for the water collected and channeled. These are the outlet for the draining water, and location, type of downspout and whether or not water is being collected all play a part in how they work.

Drain Strategy - This may be an actual set of pipes or channels that lead water away from the home or building, or it may be more of a system of planned reactions, such as using higher elevations to assure that water drains away from the property naturally.

Any homeowner or business owner should ask their gutter company about each of these elements, and how the company plans to design the gutter system. If a representative seems dismissive or can’t provide common sense answers, it might be best to look elsewhere.

Gutters can enhance the appearance of any building, but they perform a crucial role in effectively taking great care of your structures!