If you're like most people, you don't give your home's gutter system much thought. And that's unfortunate because it's crucial to maintaining your home's integrity and value. The system serves no purpose until it rains, but when it does, a properly installed gutter system is the only way to ensure that the rain water won't collect on the roof or worse, run down alongside the walls of your home.

When rainwater is uncontrolled, it can get in between the vinyl siding, wood or other material that covers your home and protects it from the elements. Water running uncontrolled down the side of a house can also get behind window frames and other openings and cause further damage that's often expensive to repair.

In much the same way as it directs a bowling ball down the end of the lane a gutter system along the perimeter of your roof carries water away from your home. Water that is allowed to flow towards the home's foundation rather than away will slowly erode the foundation, which over time can impair its structural integrity. It can also cause a considerable amount of erosion.

Sections of gutter are attached to the roof using hangars. There are straight sections as well as inside and outside corner sections. In places where the gutter attaches to a downspout, a piece called the drop outlet connects the horizontal pieces to the vertical. Open ends are covered with end pieces. To ensure that water flows away from the house's foundation it's advisable to position a splash block at the bottom of the downspout. And finally, to keep the system maintenance-free, it's wise to invest in a leaf screen which will catch leaves and other debris before they clog up the gutter, which renders it useless.

Finding a gutter system to complement your home is easy because they're available in a wide assortment of colors and materials. Next time you're outside, take a good look at the gutter. If it's in need of repair, don't delay!