Guttering is the process of taking rain that falls from your roof and channeling it into one stream to a safer area around your house. Your rain gutters are the half tubes that hang along your roof eaves that have the open part facing the sky. It protects the foundation of your building.
This is because water that falls near your foundation can put a lot of pressure on it, especially if you live in an area that gets heavy rain fall. Water can erode the densest of substances, as proven by the Colorado river forming the Grand Canyon. If you want your house to have longevity and few problems, you need gutters.
They make rain coming from the roof shoot off away from the walls. If you do not do this, not only will the foundation warp, get weak, and crack, but it can also lead to flooding in your basement and the ruining of your possessions. But even with gutters, the problems can still happen if you do not maintain your gutters, just like you have to keep up with all aspects of your house.
There are a few things to do in order that this never happens to you. The main thing to do is keep them clean. Trees tend to drop plenty of leaves in gutters which will block the rain flow.
Snowfall is another big one. This can be heavy enough dislodge the gutters from the eaves. It can also cause problems with slush and sleet–it may not drain if there is ice blocking it.
Look for cracks–you do not want leaks anywhere. Also you should check the screws or heavy glue holding them on. If a gutter were to fall during a heavy storm, it could funnel water on to your porch or front steps or right near your basement windows, creating a lot of problems for you.