You may wonder what climate change has got to do with rain gutters. And what’s the relation between the changing weather conditions and your residential gutters! But if you give it a second, it’s easy to understand that the climate affects the gutters – hence, your life.
Don’t forget that the whole point of having gutters is to cope with certain weather conditions, namely rain and melting snow. All this water landing on the roof needs a way off so that the roof and the building won’t be damaged and so that you won’t experience water damage. Is it getting clearer now? Let us tell you more, why you should be interested, and what you must do.
Let’s talk about climate change before we talk about gutters
You surely know about the huge climate change the globe experienced – and continues to do so, during the last decade or so. Although this is not the first time that we’ve seen changes in the weather conditions, the current changes are more drastic and more rapid. And all that due to global warming. The way we (ab)use energy – our overall habits, like deforestation, gas emissions, no respect for natural resources, et cetera all raised the temperatures, lowered the sea level, melted a significant part of the ice sheet in Arctic, and increased the moisture levels. Of course, the drivers of global warming are not limited to the human factor alone but also expand to volcanic and solar activity too.
While the climate differs in each location, it’s particularly warm and humid. Many parts of the earth experience long periods of drought and long periods of heavy rainfall. We see snow in the spring and go through warm winters. And all these changes have an impact on the ecosystem – the deserts have expanded, many species are in danger, animals migrate, the ocean is warmer, and hundreds of (micro) organisms are affected.
Now, you may think that all these things are tremendously alarming but how can they affect your gutters! We’ll tell you.
Are your gutters ready for the new weather patterns?
When you first bought your residential gutters, your choice was based on the local weather conditions and your roof’s requirements. Right? Now that one of these two variables has changed, the gutters will not perform the same way. And that’s the connection between gutters and climate change.
Let’s say that your gutters are designed for light rainfall and your area is highly affected by climate change – hence, it suddenly experiences heavy rainfall often. This change will put some strain on the gutters. Their seals may crack if they cannot hold the weight of the rain that now falls regularly. The bad thing about climate change is that the rainfalls are usually heavy. If the gutters are not suitable for regular rain and heavy rainfall or are outdated, they will give.
Rain gutters may easily rust due to high moisture
The higher temperatures increased humidity and the intensity of storms. As a result, old gutters or those made of non-resistant materials may get corroded. Since rust usually builds up first inside the gutters, you won’t be able to notice it. And this makes things even worst. On the other hand, if your gutters are truly old, perhaps this is your chance to get new ones. The most recent gutters are made of far more resistant materials and the manufacturers take into account climate change too.
Due to climate change, many areas experience weather extremes. That’s experiencing extreme climate events unusual for a certain location or not to the extent and regularity experienced so far. And if you get surprised by the sudden storms, let us assure you. So are your gutters.
Damaged gutters and clogged gutters will suffer the most (so will you)
While the condition of the gutters will define whether or not they can take the strain of intense downpours, obstructions and damage will only make things worse.
• Clogged gutters will not be able to handle the high volume of rainwater during a storm. The intense downpours will already be too much for your gutters, let alone if they are filthy.
• Cracks and improperly sealed gutters will also cause problems. Such gutter damage is already a serious problem – one that must be handled ASAP. Imagine what will happen in a sudden storm – one main characteristic of climate change.
What should you do? Of course, you cannot fight the weather – although we can all do much to help our planet. As far as your gutters are concerned, change them if they are old. Get durable ones with good hangers placed at regular spacing. And keep them clean. Regular gutter cleaning is a must, anyway – climate change or not. So put it on your agenda.
