Gutters and downspouts drain the water shed by a roof away from the house. Without them, water would sit on the roof or run down the walls, cracking your paint and otherwise damaging your siding. Water can also cause window frames to swell and decay over time and undermine the your house’s foundation.
Gutters are troughs that run along your house’s eaves and slope toward downspouts. They may be made of wood, aluminum, galvanized sheet metal, copper, or vinyl. Extruded "seamless" aluminum gutters are one of the most popular professionally installed types today; these are fabricated on site. Do-it-yourselfers generally opt for vinyl systems—10-foot sections that are joined by a range of fittings—because they’re easy to put together.
Be sure your downspouts expel water well away from your house. If necessary, add downspout extenders that run horizontally and carry the water away from the house. Also consider concrete or plastic splashblocks, slightly sloped and extending away from the house at least 4 feet.
