Does Every Home Need Gutters? Home Improvement Appliances

December 7th, 2010 by Elizabeth Bishop

Does Every Home Need Gutters?

Gutters are recommended for most homes. But whether they are absolutely necessary depends on the answer to 2 major questions:

1. How much rain must the roof handle?

2. Where does the water drain?

Without gutters, a building needs some feature that ensures rain runoff is directed safely away from its foundation. If the overhang from the roof is extended far enough, the water will drain a safe 6 feet away. This is an unusual circumstance. Eaves on most homes stick out only 2 to 3 feet.

If the building is located in an arid climate where there is very little rain, then gutters might not be required. Again, this is a highly unusual situation. So, most buildings require properly maintained gutters of some sort.

Why Don’t New Homes Have Gutters?

Some builders have been known to leave gutters off new houses. The reason is fairly simple. Guttering can create warranty issues with eaves and overhangs because the gutter needs to be nailed into the fascia. There, it can create wear and tear and water damage over time. Crafty construction businesses know gutters are required. Yet they want other companies to handle the warranty for this work. This can save them a lot of money over an extended period of time.

Building contractors can get away with this because homes often look finished without gutters. If a buyer of a new home asks about gutters, the builder can always recommend another company to do the work. Their excuse is often that they are not in the gutter business and custom built ones will work better anyway. So, if you are planning to buy a new home, remember to ask for an additional discount to cover the cost of having gutters installed.

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