You rely on your rain gutters to take water from the roof and send it far enough away that it doesn’t damage the exterior of your home. We tend to forget about our gutter system until we realize that is has eaten away at our garden bed, stained the side of our house, or caused some other kind of problem. It is a good idea to occasionally look over your gutters for signs they may need to be replaced, so you can avoid the damage they might do to your house. Here are five signs you need to repair your rain gutters.
1. Sagging or Bent Gutters
Gutters that are sagging or bent will collect water, which may cause all kinds of unpleasant side effects, from attracting birds and insects to encouraging the growth of mold and algae in the gutters and on the roof. Sagging and bent gutters are also signs that either your system has been damaged by a storm or the gutters are undersized for the weight of water they deal with. Even in our climate, where rain is rare, heavy rainfall still occurs and can overwhelm small gutters.
2. Leaks or Overflow
From small drips to steady spouts of water, any size leak is a cause for concern in a gutter system. You may need a simple solution, like retightening the connection between the two lengths of gutter, or your roofer may need to replace whole sections of the gutters.
Although, replacement is not always a solution. If the water looks more like it is coming off the roof and rushing past the gutters, then you need a special solution. Roofers attach a flat piece of the gutter material on top of the gutter to catch the water and splash it back down into the gutter.
3. Frequent Clogging
Why do your gutters keep clogging up? It could be because you simply have a lot of plants surrounding your home which drop materials onto your roof. Or, frequent clogging could be a sign that your system was not designed properly. If it is angled the wrong way, made of gutters or downspouts that are too small, then the gutters may get clogged more often than they would otherwise.
You can also look into gutter guards to reduce the amount that your gutters clog.
4. Rust or Damaged Paint
Are your gutters developing rust, especially around the joints between pieces? Or, has some of the paint been scrapped off your gutters? Either issue may require replacement. When they have rust, you certainly want to replace the affected parts as they are likely to start leaking. When the gutters have damaged paint, you could always choose to paint over the scratches. Although, it may be challenging to match the color of your gutters precisely.
If you find that your gutters have rusted quickly after installation, they may be in contact with a material that makes them rust or, more specifically, that causes galvanic corrosion. One material or the other will need to be replaced.
5. Water Pooling on Your Property
Water pooling on your property may be a sign that your gutters aren’t working properly, even if you can’t spot a leak. It could be that the downspouts are positioned poorly and not really directing water away from your foundation. This is essential to correct to avoid foundation damage.
