What gutters do.

Gutters collect the water that runs off your roof and direct it away from your home. When rain falls or snow melts, water runs down your roof, and without gutters, it would fall off the edges directly around your home's perimeter. Gutters catch this water at the roof edge and channel it through downspouts to direct it away from the house. This managed drainage keeps roof runoff from simply pouring off around your foundation and walls.

Why gutters matter for your foundation.

A primary reason gutters matter is protecting your foundation. Without gutters, or with failing gutters, roof runoff pours off around your home's perimeter, saturating the soil around the foundation. This water around the foundation can cause problems — it can lead to foundation issues, water intrusion into basements or crawl spaces, and soil erosion around the home.

Why gutters matter for your walls and siding.

Gutters also matter for protecting your walls and siding. Without proper gutters, roof runoff can pour down or splash against your home's walls and siding, exposing them to excess water. This can contribute to problems for the siding and walls, including moisture issues and accelerated wear.

Why gutters matter for your roof.

Functioning gutters that properly drain help manage water at the roof edge. When gutters are clogged or failing, water can back up at the roof edge, and this backed-up water can contribute to problems, including potential water intrusion and, in winter, contributing to ice dams.

The problems failing gutters cause.

• Foundation problems
• Wall and siding damage
• Roof-edge water issues
• Ice dams
• Basement or crawlspace water intrusion
• Soil erosion
• Landscaping damage

The importance of keeping gutters clear.

A key point about gutters is that keeping them clear of debris is essential to their functioning. When gutters clog with debris, they can't drain properly, and water overflows or backs up, defeating their purpose and causing the very problems gutters are meant to prevent.

Maintaining and addressing gutters.

Beyond cleaning, gutters benefit from maintenance and sometimes repair or replacement. We provide gutter services including addressing damaged or failing gutters and installing gutters.

Downspouts and where the water goes.

Downspouts should direct water away from the foundation, not just to the base of the house. Proper downspout placement and extensions that carry water well away from the foundation complete the gutter system's job.

Gutters and gutter guards.

Gutter guards can help reduce the debris that accumulates in gutters, potentially reducing cleaning frequency, though they vary in effectiveness and don't necessarily eliminate all maintenance.

Gutters as part of exterior water management.

Gutters are part of your home's overall exterior water management, which includes the roof, gutters, downspouts, grading, and drainage all working to manage water around your home.

Colorado Context: Gutters & Why They Matter for Your Roof

In Colorado, the snow and snowmelt make gutter drainage important for managing the water and relate to ice dams, which clogged gutters can contribute to. The freeze-thaw can stress gutters.