6 Warning Signs You Need a Gutter Replacement
When was the last time you thought about your gutters?
If your answer is that you can’t remember, that was way too long ago! It is time to think about your gutters and their health.
So the first thing you should do if you haven’t done an inspection in quite some time is get outside and look around the gutters. You should also take a look at the foundation of your home both inside and outside.
When you do this, you need to look for signs of damaged gutters. This isn’t something that should be done once and forgotten about. You need to make it a part of your routine.
Not sure how to inspect your gutters for damage? Keep reading this guide to learn more about the signs of damaged gutters and if you need a gutter replacement!
1. Cracks In the Gutter
If you notice any cracks in the gutters, this is not something that you want to ignore.
If there are holes or cracks, this can allow water to leak through them, which is not where you want the water to go. These cracks can also cause damage to the foundation and siding of your house if the water continuously leaks in this area.
Not only can cracks and holes in the gutter cause water to go somewhere that you do not want it to go, but it can eventually lead to the gutters breaking.
Although it may seem like a small thing if you notice a crack in your gutter, it isn’t! It is something that you want to fix right away.
2. Sagging or Pulling Away From the House
Sagging gutters are gutters that are pulling away from the house is a sign that you need to get your gutters replaced as soon as possible. This is because they are not functioning properly if they are not attached to your house in the right way.
If this is the case, it is only going to cause more damage to the gutters if you leave it.
But what could be causing sagging gutters?
It could be due to other damage around the gutters, corrosion, or excessive weight in the gutters from debris accumulation. To make sure that this doesn’t happen, it is important to clean your gutters every once in a while as part of your house maintenance.
3. Peeling Paint or Signs of Rust
If you notice peeling paint coming off of your gutters, this is more than just an aesthetics issue. It means that your gutters are deteriorating.
While that is bad on its own, if you notice that your gutters also have rust, this is a sure sign that you need gutter repairs or replacement. You don’t want to leave gutters up that have rust as they could eventually deteriorate to the point of falling apart. This can be dangerous to anyone who goes in your yard or around your house.
4. Water Damage
When you look at your gutters to inspect them regularly, you need to look for signs of water damage. However, you can’t just look at the gutters to figure out if there is water damage. You have to look at the exterior or interior of your home around the foundation for water damage.
If you notice something or any type of water damage, this could indicate that your gutters are not properly diverting water away from your home. This calls for an immediate fix to the issue to ensure that more water damage doesn’t occur.
5. Mold and Mildew Growth
Just as you need to take a look around your home for any water damage, you should also be looking for mold or mildew growth.
If you notice mold or mildew growth on the exterior of your home or inside your gutters, it’s a sign that something isn’t working. There shouldn’t be any mold growth because the gutters should be propelling the water forward and away from the house, not by the house.
If you do notice mold or mildew growth, the gutters are not functioning properly and may need to be replaced as soon as possible to prevent more damage from occurring.
6. Old Age
Just as we humans age, gutters age too. And typically, if gutters reach the age of 20, it is time for them to be taken to the grave. It is time for new gutters.
Gutters are not meant to last longer than 20 years, so even if they seem to be working fine, it is best to replace your gutters at this point. This can prevent problems before they happen.
When you buy a new house, you should always ask when the last time the gutters were replaced so you have a good idea of when you are going to need to replace them.
It May Be Time for Gutter Replacement
Now that you have read through this article, you may be realizing that your gutters are not in the best shape. There are actual problems that you need to fix to make sure that nothing else happens to your home!
If this is the case, then you are going to want to contact us at Florida Speciality Roofing to get an estimate for a gutter replacement. The last thing you want is to let bad gutters stay on your home, so be sure to take action today!
We can’t wait to help you make your home look better as soon as possible!
