The gutters are one of those parts of your home that you probably appreciate but seldom notice. If the gutters do their job well, they aren’t meant to draw attention. However, being exposed to constant water and the elements year after year results in damage. With appropriate and timely repair, you can get your gutters to last longer.
The tough part is deciding when to repair or replace the roof gutters. After all, why spend money replacing the entire system when a few repairs can sort things out. On the other hand, you don’t want to spend money on repairs that won’t last because the gutters had an underlying issue that called for their complete replacement.
To help you decide whether to repair or replace your gutters, you need to know whether the damage is localized or extensive. If the damaged area is small and localized, then repairs will suffice. If the problems with your gutter are of larger magnitude and affect extensive sections, then it’s best to install new gutters.
Here are some situations where replacing your gutter would be the best thing to do:
There are holes, cracks, and rust along the entire length.
Finding cracks and holes in one or two spots on your gutters is okay. These can simply be cleaned with alcohol and plugged with sealant. It becomes a different story, however, if the entire length and sides of your gutters have holes, cracks, and other signs of damage. This is an indication that your gutters need to be completely replaced.
You keep finding gutter fasteners like screws and nails on the ground.
One or two screws or nails falling out from the gutter is common and they can be easily replaced. But if the gutter fasteners keep coming loose and falling out then your gutter might be beyond help. If the gutters seem okay then the problem could be a decay of the fascia board.
The gutter doesn’t pitch properly.
The roof gutters are designed to redirect the flow of water. If you find that your gutter doesn’t pitch properly, impeding or restricting the flow of water then it’s of no use. Similarly, if water doesn’t flow properly, then it might be time to replace the gutters.
Water collecting in the gutters.
Just like a poorly pitched gutter, a gutter that has standing water isn’t doing its job. Instead of being redirected, the water is simply collected. This presents a risk as the water can overflow and cause damage to the property. Water collecting in the gutters could be a sign of clogging or it could indicate that the gutter is past its sell-by date and new ones need to be installed.
The hangers can’t be screwed tight.
Having a few screws loose on gutter hangers shouldn’t be an issue. These can simply be realigned then new screws used to fasten the hangers. However, if any attempt to tighten the hangers keeps failing then you might have a bigger problem on your hands. Perhaps the fascia board has become too weak or damaged to bond the fasteners, either way, the gutters need to go.
Sections of the gutter are detached.
Sometimes joints in the gutters can become loose, detaching certain sections. This too can be easily repaired and bonded with sealant. If the gaps still keep appearing and all attempts at bonding or sealing them together are futile, then that gutter is irreparable. When looking to replace it, you can opt to get seamless gutters instead to save yourself the hassle of dealing with detaching seams.
Constant erosion to your landscaping.
Erosion to flowerbeds and landscaping is a common occurrence but if you find soil constantly being washed away every time it rains, then faulty gutters could be to blame. The gutters could have clogged or somehow failed resulting in overflowing or water being wrongly redirected to the landscaping causing damage. Installing new gutters will fix this problem.
Signs of water damage or flooding in your basement.
Gutter downspouts are designed to release water in manageable amounts that can be easily absorbed by the soil without causing flooding or resulting in puddles around the house. Take a look at your basement and crawl space. If they show signs of water damage including wet spots, mold, and flooding then it could be an indicator that your gutters are not working properly. They might be clogged with water or corroded and water may have started flowing into your basement. Left unchecked, this can lead to serious damage. Make sure that your gutters are checked and replaced if necessary. Also, ensure that you sort out any damage in the basement.
Water stains, dark patches, peeling paint, or mold growing on your house’s walls.
Sometimes a cursory examination of your gutters could show no problems. However, you can look for clues to a problematic gutter in other ways. For instance, taking a look at your home’s exterior walls could indicate whether your gutters are working as they should. If you find evidence of dark, wet patches, water stains, peeling paint, or mold growing on your walls then this could point to a problem with the gutters. Maybe some joints or hangers are loose or maybe the gutters are clogged or detached causing water to spill over onto the walls. Either way, this is a situation that calls for an inspection of your gutters and a possible replacement.
Get Your Gutters Into Shape Today
Still need help figuring out whether your gutters need repair or replacement? Give Christian Brothers Roofing a call today. We offer quality roofing solutions including roof repair and maintenance as well as complete roof replacement in Atlanta, Georgia, and the surrounding areas. We will carefully examine your gutters and advice you whether they can be repaired or whether the entire system should be replaced. All this is provided at an affordable cost and with top-notch customer service.
To restore the structural integrity of your gutters, give us a call today at 1-770-734-6700.