Rain gutters are essential to your home's ability to keep water away from its foundation. When working properly, your rain gutters act as a guide to lure water runoff from your roof to the porous yard beyond your home's foundation. This keeps your foundation from getting saturated and protects your home against leaks and floods. When your rain gutters are loose, worn from age or damage, or you simply want to have them replaced, you can hire a contractor from a company like Northwest Rain Gutter to complete the work for you. Here are things you can do to prep your home for new rain gutters to make the project go more quickly.

Know what type of gutters you want

Before you prepare your home for a new gutter install, you need to decide what type of gutters you want. Gutters are typically made of aluminum, vinyl, cast iron, or copper, and they come in a variety of colors and prices. The cheapest gutters are vinyl or aluminum, while cast-iron styles are known to last a very long time. Compare the different materials together so you can let your contractor know what kind of gutters you want prior to install.

Prep the exterior 

If you have existing gutters, make sure to clean out any debris in them so they aren't weighed down or won't cause a mess when they are taken down by your roofer. Hire a painter to paint the area behind where your gutters will be placed if the paint has is worn or chipping. Remove any roofing felt or other debris from the location where the gutters will be attached to the home so the contractor has a clean space to work with. Ask your contractor if you need to cover your windows with cloth to protect them against accidental damage while they are working.

If you have already purchased gutter and downspout material, have it ready for the contractor to use when they arrive by placing them out in the driveway or making your garage accessible for the materials.

Ready your landscape

If you have a flower garden or decorative items in your yard that may get damaged by a ladder, cover or remove them so they aren't in the way when the contractor is doing their job. Keep children and pets indoors while the contractor is getting their materials ready or as they are actively working to avoid distractions or accidental injury. Let your contractor know they need to call you prior to arriving at your home so you can put animals inside if you need to.