Most homes are built with gutters on the edges of the roof. These gutters gather rain and shuttle it off the roof and away from the home's foundation. Occasionally, however, a home will be built without gutters. Maybe the homeowner wanted to save money, so they skipped having gutters installed. Or perhaps the roofer figured that the climate was dry enough that gutters were not that important. If you live in a home without gutters, should you have them added? In most cases, if you can afford to do so, having gutters installed on such a home does have its benefits. Here are a few of those key benefits.

The home's foundation won't be exposed to as much water.

When a home does not have gutters, the rainwater tends to drain off the corner of the home and down the side. It will then tend to pool near the home's foundation. This may not cause any immediate problems, but it will expose your foundation to more water over time. This may increase the risk of foundation cracks and leaks over the years. If you install gutters, the water will be directed further from the foundation, and so the foundation will stay dryer. This may allow it to last longer and may help you avoid repairs, too.

Your garden beds will stay nicer.

If you go outside and look at your garden beds, you will probably notice that there are areas where they are pitted or where mulch has been washed out of them. Tidying the house up every year can take a lot of time. If you have gutters installed, the water won't fall off the roof and into the garden beds anymore. The beds will stay nicer, and you won't have to spend as much time and energy working on them.

Your roof may last longer.

Without gutters to drain it, the edges of your roof may be exposed to more water, which will cause them to deteriorate at an accelerated rate. Installing gutters will help keep the roof dryer, which will extend its lifespan. Roof replacement is not cheap, so the longer you avoid having to replace your roof, the better.

If you live in a home without gutters, it's worth getting a quote or two for gutter installation. The benefits of adding gutters are many. Your installer may even be able to point out some more specific benefits that have to do with your home's unique design and layout.