Guttering systems, although strong and sturdy, can easily get damaged throughout the years, especially if they aren’t properly taken care of.
Whether they are made of aluminum, steel or vinyl, regular gutter maintenance requires keeping them free of any debris and checking for puncture holes and rusting.
Gutters should be cleaned at least two times a year in general, but if you live next to trees with big foliage, you should consider cleaning them once every four months.
For advice on the proper cleaning methods, you should contact gutter professionals, preferably the ones who installed them.
If your gutters don’t have any visible damage, or you’re a new homeowner and don’t know when they were installed, you may have trouble deciding when the time to replace them is. This is why in this article we give your 3 signs to look out for that your gutters need replacing.
Cracks in the gutters
If you keep finding nails around your house or around your garden fence, there’s a good chance your gutters have detached from the sides of your home. Gutters should be well fastened together at the sides of your home.
If you notice that they have separated or have started pulling away from the roof you should consider changing them as soon as possible.
The cracks on the gutters can be repaired using special glues and fasteners, but if they keep appearing all over the pipes in your gutter system and the ones sealed keep opening again, then it’s time to look for trusted professionals to fix your gutters. Ask your neighbors, or your family and friends for recommendations, or look for the best-ranked ones online.
Moisture in walls
Every home, be it a house or a building needs to have a proper guttering system to redirect rainwater and the melting snow and ice from your roof at the end of the winter. If your gutters are too old, they can start cracking without it being obvious.
The first things you’ll notice when this happens are watermarks under the gutters, then you might notice damp patches around the corners of your walls that vary in color from dark yellow to brown. This means that it is time to check your guttering system.
Holes in the inner part of the guttering pipes might have probably caused moisture by letting the water escape directly into your walls, making them damp and prone to mold. Not only is mold damaging to the foundation of your house, but it’s also dangerous for your health.
Another reason might be leaf and debris buildup, if you haven’t cleaned your gutters for a long time, especially after the fall season.
Consider this wall moisture as a warning to change your gutters, because next thing you know, you might find your wall paint all cracked and the rooms in your house filled with the ugly stench of mildew.
Not to mention that your basement might get flooded and become the perfect nesting place for rodents and other creepy crawlies.
Rusted patches
If you notice that any part of your draining system gets rusty you should take action immediately – the smaller the rust stain, the better. After all, you don’t want a smell to enter from your kitchen window. Rust is a sign of water being stuck in the pipes and there are a number of reasons why this might be happening.
The first reason is that something is restraining the water flow causing water to pool inside. Other reasons include improper installation or a too-flat slope of the gutter system. They also might begin to corrode over time due to their exposure to humidity, especially if their protective coating has worn through. If there is nothing to restrict the water from flowing and there are no slopes, then it’s time to get a new gutter system because that one has come to the end of its lifespan.
Final thoughts
The first thing to keep in mind when calling gutter professionals is to tell them which problems you have with your gutters and schedule a consultation to recieve a tailored estimate for your house. If the damage is irreparable, they will probably advise you to get an entirely new system. You will have to select the materials and products that suit your house and roof and finally schedule an installation.
When you have successfully had your gutters changed, you should try your best to clean them as often as the gutter professionals advise you to to make them last a long time.
