How Gutters Work

There they collect the torrents of water that come from the roof during rainstorms and direct them to a safe area for discharge via downspouts.

How gutters work.

As the water pools it travels through the gutter system to the downspout. In many cases this area is simply far enough away from the house to avoid foundation damage. During rain water rolls down from the slope of the roof to the gutters. Think of it as a system of small canals that are open at the top to catch rainwater running off the roof channeling all the excess water into the downspouts to be drained down to the ground and away from the home.

Usually gutters are installed on a slight slope that encourages the water to run away from the house and toward downspouts that are installed at the corners of the house. Gutters are placed at the leading edges of the roof. Leafguard gutters work on a simple but powerful scientific principle known as liquid adhesion. Fundamentally gutters collect rainwater from your roof and channel it to the ground through a downspout.

Depending on the system gutters are either nailed to the fascia with a clip or spike and ferrule hanger as shown at left or hung from the sheathing along the eaves before the roof is shingled which is more secure and less visible. Quality downspouts expel water well away from the house. Downspouts carry water from the gutters to the base of the house.