What Are The Signs That You Need To Replace Your Gutters?

We know our rain gutters are important when it comes to protecting our home, but for some reason, most of us don’t think about them very often. Maybe it’s because they aren’t as visible as a roof, as beautiful as a new paint job or maybe it’s because they just do their job, moving water from off your roof without any fanfare…until they don’t. That’s when we realize we really need to think about them more often by making sure they are cleaned and inspected frequently.

If you clean and maintain them properly, and under normal weather conditions, aluminum gutters can last about 20 years. But there does come a time that they will need to be replaced. To avoid damage to your home from from ineffective gutters before they can do any real damage, take the time to walk around your home and…

Watch for these signs of gutter damage:

Start by looking down –

1. Is your landscape around the base of your home eroding because the rain water hasn’t been properly routed from your roof?
2. Are there puddles of water around the base of your house after the rain?
3. Is there mold or mildew growing around your home’s foundation?
4. Is your foundations showing signs of cracking?
5. Is your basement leaking or have signs of mold growth?

Now it’s time to look up –

1. Does the gutter system itself show signs of damage such as:
   1. bent areas
   2. cracks
   3. holes
2. Is any area of the gutter pulling away from the roof or sagging? This also includes sections of the gutter pulling away from itself in the area of seams.
3. Are there water marks on your home beneath the gutter?
4. Are there rust stains, rotting wood or peeling paint around your gutters?
5. Are the gutters themselves showing signs of rust?
6. Can you see water leaking because of holes or cracks?
7. Are any of the fasteners broken?
8. Is there mold growing around the seams of the gutters?

It’s a smart homeowner that checks his/her home at least once a year on a dry sunny day to insure a properly functioning gutter system and protect his home from the water damage that can be caused from faulty gutters.

When you are checking your gutters, if you find any of the signs above, don’t panic, it doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be replaced, but it’s definitely a good time to have them inspected by a professional, and if possible have them repaired rather than replaced.

If cleaning your gutters isn’t something you want to do yourself, give me a call, and while I’m up on the ladder I’ll look them over for any problems that might be starting, so you can hopefully avoid replacing them for awhile longer.

I have been cleaning windows and gutters in the Seattle area for nearly 30 years, and quite frankly, I enjoy it!  I will be happy to answer all of your questions, and I know the mistakes to avoid. I clean private homes or apartment complexes.

Contact me for a FREE Quote.