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About-the-House

Gutter add-ons

Gutters and downspouts may look innocuous but they sure are important to protect your home from water damage. Managing collected moisture off your roof goes a long way to protecting your investment. The problem with gutters is they are often up high and out of mind.

As you can see in the photo in this article, the gutters are full of water. For every ten feet of gutter like this, about 150 pounds of water will be sitting in them if they are full. Keeping gutters and downspouts free of debris is a burgeoning industry.

The gutter industry has seen an explosion in the accessory side of the business. Screens, barriers, and other devices used to keep foreign objects out of the gutter are literally everywhere. When considering such accessories, homeowners will want to evaluate the types of debris that may land on or in their gutter.

Hybrid products that combine solid hoods with screens exist, as do the more recent gutter foam that actually fill the length of the gutter, allowing water to run through and drain while keeping solid objects out. But, they aren’t foolproof, eventually they gutter guards will have to be pulled, maintained and replaced.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.



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About the Author

When you need advice or guidance with DIY home improvement and repairs, Hugh Cairns can help you with the answers.

Home improvements can be rewarding, turn your home into a nicer more comfortable place to live, and increase its value.

Whether you are renovating your kitchen, converting a loft, giving a room a lick of paint or making improvements to your home’s energy efficiency, this column is here to guide you with useful information and key things to remember.

Do you have a renovation question or concern? Please feel free to send Hugh your questions. Contact him through www.subject2homeinspections.com



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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