Do we need gutters?


  #1  
Old 12-23-16, 03:02 PM
S
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Do we need gutters?

Our roof is at a maybe 45° pitch and originally had no gutters. Several years ago when we had the roof replaced, the roofer included gutters in his estimate, and I didn't think too much about it. (I was a bit upset that he just hired a separate contractor (at a premium) who put them up.)

I've always thought that they were installed improperly, and that they're probably undersized. The roofing (drip line?) extends maybe 80% over the gutters. When it rains, most of the water sheets over the gutters. There tends to be debris in the gutters, and they overflow and sag in a couple of places.

Looking around at other houses, I also don't know if we really need gutters at all - most houses in this tract with roofs pitched like ours don't have them.

I'd just like to remove them but don't know if there is any good reason not to. We're in southern California and there is no snow - just the occasional rain.
 
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Old 12-23-16, 03:18 PM
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It isn't so much the pitch of the roof but the slope of the ground around the house. Slab, crawlspace or basement you want the water to drain away from the house. A basement or crawlspace (not stated) can have water/moisture issues.

As for the installation you describe you are correct in thinking they did a poor job. Debris accumulating is going to happen.

How long had the house gone before you added the gutters. Any previous problems? What type of foundation?

Bud
 
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Old 12-23-16, 11:27 PM
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I'm curious about your comment regarding the drip edge being so far over the gutter. Maybe it's a local building style but everything I've seen extends out maybe 1/2".

We're in MI and get rain (and snow) and gutters are needed exactly as the prior post states, to get all that water away from the foundation. All my gutters are plumbed and run into our creek.
 
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Old 12-27-16, 08:30 AM
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Gutters serve to re-direct water away from your foundation and prevent erosion where the water runs off the roof to the ground. Should neither be an issue for you, gutters would not be needed. I don't have gutters on my house but wish I did in the front of the garage, as I have seen some damage to the driveway which a gutter would help.
 
 

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