I'm redoing my home's facade and currently have this ugly gutter that runs along the fascia between the first and second floors. I'm considering removing all the gutters, but my partner thinks we should at least keep them for the peaked roof over our entryway. One contractor says we definitely need them, while another argues they're unnecessary since the roof collects very little water—most water runs to the flat roof in the back where we do have a gutter. From my perspective, it's mainly an aesthetic issue and a chance to save a bit of money. The little runoff does fall down to basement stairs with a drain, plus there are plants nearby that could be affected. What would you do?
3 Answers
I'd personally recommend keeping the gutters. Nobody wants to stand in the rain fumbling for keys while water's just dripping down all over them! Also, water runoff can really damage the plants below since it might erode the soil or even create a mess on your steps. If you're unsure, you could test it out without them to see how it goes—you can always add gutters later if needed!
I suggest keeping the gutters, but I see everyone has different opinions. The upper roof doesn’t have gutters and is dumping a lot of water onto your first-floor ones, which isn’t ideal. If you took those away, you’d end up concentrating a lot of water in a small area, potentially causing damage. Keeping the current setup could prevent further issues, especially with melting snow and heavy rains. However, you could consider removing the ones over the window—they seem unnecessary and might not help anyway.
Given that the peaked roof already has some water damage, I’d say it’s not worth the risk of removing the gutters entirely. You might want to just tidy them up a bit and maybe add gutter guards to minimize maintenance. You definitely want to protect your basement from pooling water!
Yep, and having gutters also protects the stairs. Right now, it looks like water might be ruining the door finish too. Keeping them clear with a leaf blower can really help maintain them.