Most homeowners pay little attention to their gutters, as they don’t fully appreciate this drainage system’s vital role. Roofers sometimes find cases where people neglect their gutters and end up with a severe mess to fix. An integral part of your home, gutters help drain excess water and move it away from the roof’s edges when it rains. In addition, they direct water away from a house’s foundation and walls. With such essential work to do, your gutters should always be kept in their best condition. Installing them isn’t the final step. You should schedule regular maintenance and repairs to keep them working optimally for their entire lifespan. There are six gutter issues that you should address immediately to avoid damage to your roof and foundation.
1. Unprofessional Installation
Poor gutter installation is an issue you may face if you recently purchased a home. The previous owner may have hired untrained roofers to install the drainage system to save money. Shoddy gutter work can cause a host of problems. For instance, they may not have installed them with a steep enough slope. The slope should generally be half an inch for every 10 feet. Anything less than this will cause standing water in the drainage system that doesn’t properly flow away from your home. Another mistake amateurs make is not using the correct hardware to attach the gutters to the house or spacing the hangers too far apart to support it. This lack of attention to detail may result in sagging gutters or even one that falls off.
Unfortunately, the only fix for poorly instilled gutters is to contact a professional to assess and reinstall the drainage system. They’ll align each gutter so that the water flows as it should. If the brackets and other hardware are incorrect, they’ll replace these components to ensure your gutters stay secured to your home. They’ll also make sure these parts are appropriately positioned to support the weight of the gutters.
2. Clogging
Many people in North Carolina tend to forget about their roofs and gutters after installation because they’re not at eye level. However, you need to check them for blockages frequently. If you have trees next to your house, they’re likely to shed leaves on the top of your home. Since the roof slants toward the gutters, everything that lands on it eventually goes into the gutters. Therefore, if dirt and debris doesn’t get removed, it will accumulate and begin blocking the flow of water. It’s possible not to notice an issue, especially during the dry months, since the gutters have no significant work to do. However, when it rains, you may notice that instead of draining, the water starts backing up on the roof and pouring from the edges of the gutters. Standing water on the roof can penetrate the top layer of your roof and eventually rot its superstructure.
Even though North Carolina has relatively mild winters, clogged gutters can result in ice dams in the coldest months. Ice dams often form after a snowstorm. The snow melts during the day, and the water has nowhere to go because your gutters are blocked. At night, the water freezes into a sheet, and in a few days, you can have an ice dam that’s several layers thick. This not only makes the drainage issue worse, but ice dams can damage your gutters and the edge of the roof. If they get large enough, they can even cause structural damage and pose a safety risk.
You should have your gutters cleaned out at least twice a year — in the fall and late spring — to prevent clogged gutters. Even when your gutters are maintained seasonally, inspecting them is vital to ensure they continue to work as they should, especially after weather events like heavy rain storms.
3. Sagging
Sagging usually arises due to the weight of leaves and other debris combined with excess water due to a blockage in your gutters. However, it can also result from a bracket or other part securing the gutter to your home that has become loose. In some scenarios, the sagging can be made worse when an animal, such as a mouse or squirrel, has decided to make their home in your drainage system. The leaves provide a comfortable and warm environment for the intruders, thus putting extra weight on the roof’s gutters. Since this system shouldn’t carry excess weight except moving water, it may start to detach and sag.
The best way to fix this is by calling a roofing professional to address the situation. If the sagging gutter has become too damaged to repair, you’ll need to have it replaced. However, if the gutter is salvageable, a professional will clean out the debris and any animal nests, straighten the gutter, and ensure it’s securely fastened to the side of your house.
4. Leaks
The most likely reason for a leaky gutter is that a gap has formed in your drainage system. Gaps can occur as the gutters deteriorate due to age. They may also develop due to a severe weather event, such as high strong winds bending the metal where seams meet. You’ll know you have a leak when a stream of water comes from a connection between gutter components.
This problem is quite common. If the leak isn’t due to age, it can be fixed quickly. A roofer will straighten any bent metal to ensure the parts that form the connection overlap properly. After fitting the components, they may apply silicon caulk to the seam to ensure it’s watertight.
5. Wrong Downspout Positioning
The downspout is the bottom end of the gutters where the water exits to the ground. The positioning and length of this part are crucial in ensuring the system properly performs its work. Downspouts shouldn’t touch the ground because rainwater might get backed up in the gutter until it starts overflowing. Instead, they should end about 12 inches above the ground and have an elbow extension directing water away from your foundation. The installation angle is also crucial. The downspout should be facing away from the house to help direct the water. In some cases, the downspout may be missing, meaning the water forms a puddle right below the end of the gutter. Missing downspouts can result in water saturating the ground against your foundation and eventually result in structural damage to your home.
If you become aware that water isn’t draining away from your home after it has traveled through your gutters, a professional can rectify the issue. They’ll make sure the downspouts are angled correctly and the proper length. They’ll also ask if you have problems with your gutters overflowing during rain storms. There may be an issue because your drainage system needs a downspout about every 20 feet to handle excess water during weather events. Finally, they’ll check the slope of the ground where the water exits your drainage system. If the ground next to your foundation slopes toward your home, they’ll recommend how to fix it. The solution may involve adding dirt so that water flows away from your house.
Contact the Pros
Aurora Pro Services Heating, Air, Plumbing, Electrical, & Roofing is proud to be a licensed general contractor. Plus, we’ve earned certifications in other areas to ensure we can fully care for your household’s needs in Greensboro, NC. We install, maintain, and repair heating and cooling systems and are expert electricians. In addition, we provide plumbing and roofing services. Reach out to our roofing experts today for the best gutter services in North Carolina.
