If you’ve been living in Florida for a while, surely you might have asked yourself this at least once: do I need gutters in Florida? The answer is not that simple, actually; some factors can determine whether you need gutters or not. You need to understand first what is the purpose of gutters and how do they help your house during the rainy seasons so either you can look for several types of gutters that you might need, or not. Many people can invest a lot in the best rain gutters in the market when they actually don’t need, which is a severe waste of time and money!
Do I Need Gutters in Florida?
This article will help you understand how do gutters work and whether you need them or not in your household. So, if you’re thinking about installing some, put your plans on hold and check first if our pointers below apply to you.
What is the Purpose of Gutters?
Basically, rain gutters funnel the water from the roof and away from your house. It’s a clean and efficient way to collect the water and channel it away from your house. If it weren’t for them, all the water falling around your home could erode the soil, damage your basement and, what’s worse, weaken your home’s foundation!
The only downsides of gutters are that they’re easy to clog (cleaning gutters is a complete chaos!) and that they can freeze during cold temperatures. So, although efficient, they can cause an equal amount of trouble if they’re not properly cared for. They can also leak if they are not maintained properly when it’s raining outside.
So, as you can see, having a gutter has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages, but the question here is: do you really need them? As we said, gutters ask for some investment, so even though they bring lots of benefits, you need to make sure that you can live without them in Florida.
If you want to know if you need to install them ASAP, check the following pointers.
Instances Where You Don’t Need Gutters
So, do you really need gutters? You don’t need gutters if…
- Your roof overhang is 6-10 inches wide.
- Your house has a stone, apron or concrete apron, with enough drainage supporting it.
- Slopes in the ground are away from your home.
- You have a very shallow roof.
- You’ve already installed a rain diverter, which works the same.
- You don’t live in a rainy area.
Instances Where You Might Consider Gutters
Even though it’s not strictly necessary to install gutters, some people take the word for it and don’t do a proper research of their surroundings to make sure they’re in a situation where they can skip them altogether. These are two instances where we completely recommend to install them:
- If your house is newly constructed, chances are that the builders told you that the house has an ample runoff, with the ground sloping away from it. They might have told the truth, but builders usually dig out ground so that it’s slipping away, and dirt often settles during the refilling phase, without your knowledge. If you start to notice some water pooling around your house after the rain, you might have to install some gutters immediately.
- Your new house doesn’t have gutters, so that means it doesn’t need one, right? Nope, that’s not the case. If your house was newly built, you surely experienced the first instance of this list, but if it was previously owned, surely the owner had gutters and removed them for one or another reason. Again, do your research before jumping into any conclusion!
If you’re seriously considering in investing in some gutters, then check the following considerations:
What are the different types of rain gutters?
Aluminum is the least expensive option, with the vinyl, galvanized steel, wood, fascia and K-style profile styles being some other popular alternatives. However, if you’re looking for an incredibly effective one, seamless gutters eliminate the seam problem found in other types of rain gutters that can either leak or catch debris and hamper the flow of rainwater. Although, be sure to clean them regularly. You can do so without a ladder or with a pressure washer as well.
How long will vinyl gutters last?
Sadly, their lifespan is very short. In a moderate weather and under proper care, they can last up to 20 years. But if you neglect them long enough, they’ll last less than 10 years.
Bottom Line
Now that you know what is the purpose of gutters and which instances call for them, ask yourself once again: do I need gutters in Florida? If you do, then check all the types of gutters you can and do a research of the best rain gutters for your house. If you’re unsure, then it’s best to call a professional for another opinion, as to avoid unnecessary costs. Better to be safe than sorry!
