6 Common Gutter Problems

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Your gutters perform an essential role in protecting your home.  Rain gutters catch water as it drains off the house and convey it a safe distance from your building, preserving the structure of your property.

Keeping your rain gutters clean keeps rain from wreaking havoc on your property and will help to prevent basement flooding, cracks developing and issues with damp.

There are a number of familiar gutter issues to watch out for that could hinder them from working as they are designed to and protecting your building. These include:

• Clogged Gutters
• Leaks and Holes
• Broken Gutters
• Bent Rain Gutters
• Badly Installed Rain Gutters
• Downspout Faults

Some homes may not have any gutters or they may have be missing segments or have insufficient gutters installed.  If this is the case, additional rain gutters should be fitted professionally to ensure they are correctly fitted and fit for their function.

Blocked Gutters

Clogged rain gutters are the most frequent gutter problem as gutters can be clogged by all sorts of different things.  Leaves and other matter than blows onto the roof will be swept into gutters.  On top of that seeds that either blow in or are deposited by bird droppings may result in seedling sprouting in your gutters. Not to mention birds and other pests setting up home.

When leaves and rubbish starts to build up it can soon cause a blockage which can cause gutter problems in addition to structural problems for your home.

Thankfully solving the problem is fairly simple and you can prevent the problem from appearing with regular inspections and maintenance.  If your gutters are blocked you should call a gutter maintenance company to come and perform gutter maintenance.  You ideally want to be checking and performing any maintenance required bi-annually in spring and fall.

Joint Leaks and Holes

Leaks in the joins and holes are again a fairly routine fault, in particular for buildings that do not have seamless rain gutters.  Gutters are more likely to come apart at the joints if they become blocked and exposed to more weight.

Nonetheless, leaks and holes can form in seamless gutters and may also happen where the gutter has corroded or more routinely where hardware has come loose.

Fixing seams in your gutter is best done with rivets rather than glue or sealant as they will last longer and be more effective.  It’s possible to do this yourself if you have the tools or you may call in the professionals.

Loose or Damaged Gutters

Rain gutters may easily come away from the building over time. This happens due to various reasons including clogging and ice dams.  If you notice your rain gutters have come away from the building or become damaged at all this is a issue that should not be ignored as damaged gutters can cause far reaching damage to your property.

Checking your rain gutters frequently can ensure you notice any problems sections as quickly as possible.  What you need to do about it will revolve around the problem but fixings can normally be either tightened or replaced and damaged lengths of rain gutter can be removed and replaced by a professional.

Bending warping

Gutters can easily start to warp or droop as time goes by particularly if they have not been given adequate maintenance.  It is not just the gutter itself that could begin to deteriorate, so may the accessories used to fix them to the property.

This could lead to gutters coming loose and losing effectiveness as rainfall is no longer caught and channeled away.

Usually once rain gutters start to bend and sag the affected sections will need to be replaced.  You can choose to do this yourself if you have the time and the correct tools or you could hire a professional gutter service firm.

Gutter Slope

As well as needing to be clear and well-maintained rain gutters also need to be pitched properly in order to drain.  This means they need to have the right amount of incline to help the water drain effectively.

Ideally rain gutters should pitch about ¼ of an inch for every 10 feet.  If the pitch is too great the rain gutters cannot perform at full capacity.  If the slope is too shallow the rainfall can gather and become stagnant leading to insects, or flood resulting in other issues for the dwelling.

Badly installed rain gutters need to be adjusted to make sure they have the correct slope and can operate effectively.  This can be a time-consuming task so might be best left to a reputable gutter installation firm.

Downspout Faults

Downpipes are a critical part of any gutter installation.  They need to be maintained just like the rest of your rain gutters.   They also need to be properly directed away from the base of your home or you could find water gathering at the base of your home resulting in flooding and even structural damage.

Rain gutters are meant to transport water a safe distance from your building but this only happens if the downspouts are properly fitted and adequately maintained.  If you suspect your downpipe may be clogged you should clear it or have it unblocked as soon as possible and ensure that rainfall is being channeled far enough away from the foundations of your home.

Rain gutter maintenance is often considered time consuming and unattractive resulting in it often being delayed but this could lead to significant problems.  Make sure you make gutter inspections part of your regular home maintenance to preserve both your roof and the foundations of your building.  Employing a gutter installation company might feel expensive but could save you huge amounts of money in the longer term.