It’s a given that your house needs gutters and downspouts. But if you have an accessory building, such as a garage and a garden shed, should you consider putting gutters on them as well? The short answer is “Yes.”
The same principal applies to freestanding structures on your property as it does to your home – water allowed to flow anywhere it pleases can cause you problems. Add gutters and downpipes to an accessory building if water:
- from the inclined roof of a shed, detached garage, gazebo or greenhouse is draining onto a neighbour’s property
- pools in front of the roller door of a garage or shed
- doesn’t drain away from the perimeter of the structure in a timely manner
- is dripping or draining into the inside of the work shed, gazebo or garage
For maximum functionality, consider incorporating a rain barrel into a gutter system for a garden shed or greenhouse. Rather than just drain the water away, it will collect the runoff, which can then be used for watering plants and beds.
If you have an expensive gutter system like copper European gutters, does it mean you have to install the same on your detached garage or guest house? The short answer is “No.” Less expensive options include vinyl gutters and aluminum gutters – both are available in a wide range of color options that will allow you to find a complementary match to the gutters on your home.
When an accessory building has no gutters, another common adverse effect can be having to paint often due to staining, streaking or other types of water damage. No matter how big or small your shed, detached garage, gazebo or greenhouse is, it’s still an investment that needs protecting.
