When buying a home or building a new house, you may wonder whether rain gutters are necessary in San Antonio, Texas. Most houses in San Antonio have rain gutters. These simple fixtures run along the roof edges and they serve a very important purpose. But, if new to homeownership, you might question their importance.
When rain gutters are installed professionally, they create a clean, crisp edge around the roofline of your home. But, the main purpose of a guttering system is not just mere adornment. They collect and guide storm and rainwater off the building’s roof and channel it away from the house foundation. This is very important for the structural well-being of a house.
Why Gutters Are Necessary in San Antonio Texas?
The annual precipitation in San Antonio is around 32.9 inches. This may be almost the same in other Gulf Coast areas. However, it’s significantly higher than in some areas in Texas, particularly West Texas. As such, San Antonio homes need high-quality gutter systems to ensure that heavy rain doesn’t affect their structural integrity.
Whenever it rains, about 60 gallons of rainwater accumulates in every 100 square feet of the roof. Most roofs are around 2,300 square feet. As such, they collect around 1,380 gallons of rainwater for every inch falling on them.
For a house that doesn’t have properly installed and functioning gutters, this water drops off directly from the roof edges to the ground that is close to the foundation of the house. Consequently, this rainwater interferes with the ability of this ground to support the house foundation. And, this, in turn, can cause cracking and shifting of the house foundation. Once the foundation has been compromised, other problems like basement wall cracks can develop.
Essentially, a home in San Antonio Texas is exposed to the risk of extensive rainwater damage if it doesn’t have professionally installed and properly functioning rain gutters. Rainwater can even build up on the roof and eventually leaking into the house. This can lead to water damage on the roof itself, the ceiling, and other parts of a home.
High-Quality Gutters Prevent the Need for Extensive and Costly Repairs
Rainwater damage repair is costly and time-consuming. For instance, repairing foundation damage that is caused by rainwater can be extremely expensive in some homes. That’s because the repair requires the house to be lifted on jacks and the necessary work done to fix the damage. After that, the house should be set back down carefully.
Unfortunately, latent structural issues can be caused by this lifting, especially the house walls. But, if foundation damage is ignored, it only gets worse. Therefore, if you intend to live in your house longer, you must fix foundation damage the moment you notice it.
Similarly, a house that doesn’t have properly functioning gutters can sustain rainwater damage on the basement walls. This damage can weaken the structure of the house. It can also lead to water leaks. These leaks can eventually lead to mold growth in the basement because wet materials provide a perfect incubation space.
Consequently, you can end up with water and mold issues. And, when rainwater leaks into your basement, it won’t go away as fast as it leaks in. That means mold can continue to grow even after the exterior of the house is dry.
Major Reasons to Install Quality Rain Gutters in San Antonio Texas
Gutters are absolutely necessary on almost every house in San Antonio Texas. Arguably, gutter installation can save a homeowner thousands of dollars. But, you might still want refined reasons to install rain gutters on your house in San Antonio. Here are the major reasons why you should install high-quality gutters in San Antonio, Texas.
- Rainwater distribution- As hinted, the main purpose of a gutter system is to keep rainwater away from the foundation of a house. This responsibility should not be underestimated in places like San Antonio with relatively heavy rainfall. Properly installed gutters collect rainwater and redistribute it safely or channel it away from the house foundation. This prevents rainwater from penetrating the house foundation or the soil near and beneath it.
- Health- Properly installed gutters prevent structural damage by rainwater. This prevents issues like mold growth. Mold is a major cause of respiratory problems like allergies. As such, properly installed and functioning gutters can prevent health issues that arise from water damage.
- Aesthetics- Properly installed gutters look nice. They also prevent soil and dirt from pounding around the house causing mud, dirt, and other unsightly materials from splashing on the walls of a home. As such, properly installed and functioning gutters keep a house looking clean. The painted surfaces of a house exterior will also peel off faster due to water exposure. This might ruin the impressive look of the building or compel the homeowner to spend money on repainting. What’s more, if rainwater is allowed to fall off the roof to the ground directly, it can wreak havoc in the landscaping.
The importance of rain gutters can’t be ignored by anybody that values their house. Nevertheless, you should ensure that your house in San Antonio, Texas has properly installed and functioning gutters.
Our High-Quality Rain Gutters
MT Gutters installs seamless gutters that are designed to protect your house against any potential problem. Among the technologies that we implement in our gutter designs include:
- Seamless gutters
- Snaplock gutters
- Leaflock technology
We install all types of gutters professionally and efficiently. Regardless of the design or material of the gutters that you want to be installed on your house, we will do an excellent job. Contact us to discuss your gutter installation project in San Antonio Texas or request a free estimate.