Gutters & Downspouts
The phrase “When it rains, it pours” can aptly be applied to life without gutters & downspouts, or with gutters & downspouts that are in bad shape. One of the things I hate most about winter has to walk through the curtain of rain that forms from roofs that either have no gutters & downspouts at all or clogged gutters. When I’m walking out the door and that one ice cold drop somehow manages to fall right on my neck, it makes me want to yell. I’m sure you’ve had it happen as many times as I have. Gutters are something we’d hate to go without today, yet date all the way back to early civilizations. In 47AD, the Romans brought gutters to English society. A thousand years later, the British had to do massive rebuilding after an invasion and many of the large, expensive buildings that were erected required gutters & downspouts to handle the rain. Two hundred years after that, the first downspout was installed at the Tower of London. Five hundred years after that, gutters were made out of wood, lead, and then cast iron. World War II prompted the development of cheap plastics which were quickly adapted for gutters and downspouts. There are multiple types of gutters and downspouts, and choosing which is right for you and your house is very important. One of the best choices is vinyl. While not necessarily as attractive as other options, they still add to a building’s appearance, especially since you can choose a color that matches your house well. They also provide other benefits above metal gutters. The main benefit is that you don’t have to do much working maintaining them. I, for one, absolutely hate maintaining gutters, and I imagine anyone else who has had to do it would say the same. They are also very lightweight so that you can attach them to weaker supports. The only downside is that extreme heat and cold can make the vinyl change shape, and so they may not be suited for houses located in those environments. However, in more temperate climates, it is hard to beat the cost and ease they provide. Of the several types of metal gutters, copper is the most striking. It adds a beautiful accent to any house that impresses neighbors and raises property value. In addition to that, they are very durable and don’t require much maintenance. They are strong enough to stand up to bad storms and changing weather conditions. There are, however, two downsides. The metal can discolor over time, although that can be prevented with a sealant coating so that they retain their attractiveness for many years. The other unfortunate downside is the cost. However, many homeowners feel that the money invested is well worth it since the increase in property value can make up for the extra money spent over vinyl gutters & downspouts. Gutters & downspouts are a modern luxury that comes from a long and interesting history. It is ironic that most of the advances in gutter and downspout technology came after disasters, since they exist to make life easier. Every building needs appropriate gutters, and there are enough options out there that you can find what you need with a little research.