An inspection of the gutter system on your home should be a mandatory item on your routine maintenance schedule. Ideally, a gutter inspection should be performed twice a year, once in the fall before the cold winter months set in, and again before the heavy rains of spring arrive. Your gutter system plays a very important part in managing the water run-off around your home. I want to help you ensure that it performs as intended.
My Gutters Aren’t Ushering the Water Away from my Home
Poor or non-existing water run-off management systems tend to be the primary cause of water problems in basements and crawl spaces, as excess water is not properly shed away from the home. During the hard hit months of winter and spring, your gutter system endures freezing temperatures, snow buildup, and ice formation (which then leads directly to excessive spring runoff from melting snow and heavy rains). In order to ensure that your gutters are able to appropriately shed water away from the home during these times, it is important to keep them well maintained and free of debris.
Things to Monitor on your Gutter System
In order for your gutters to do their job properly, removing debris like leaves, sticks and dirt from your gutters and downspouts should be cleaned biannually. Clogged gutters can lead to overflows in heavy spring rains and ice buildup in the winter months, either of which can lead to gutter damage or potential water intrusion problems. If your gutters are clean and still have water pooling or otherwise not draining properly, this may be a sign of damaged gutter hangers or improper installation. Ensure that all gutter hangers are attached correctly and aren’t bent. Missing gutter clips are another common occurrence and can easily be replaced.
Sagging sections of gutter around your home are most likely caused by bent, broken or missing gutter hangers. Repairing or replacing them should be done as soon as possible to prevent any further damage. It’s also a good idea to make sure that all the places where the gutter sections are connected fastened together tightly. Broken or missing rivets can and should be drilled and replaced. You should also check that all downspout fasteners (the metal straps that attach the downspout to the siding or exterior elevations of your home) are secure. If your downspout is torn off by wind, heavy snow, or ice because of a loose or missing fastener, your gutter and siding could both be damaged beyond repair.
As always, remember to take caution when working on or inspecting your gutters. Unlike inspecting and maintaining other sections of your home’s exterior, 90% of gutter work is done from a ladder. As such, remember to always make sure that your ladder is stable and on level ground and ask for help from a spouse, friend or neighbor to hold the ladder for you. Because many people are not overly fond of completing work up on a ladder, the Gutterman of Tennessee is always just a call away if you feel uncomfortable doing the work yourself.