Gutters are an extremely important part of your home. They direct water away from your home’s exterior walls, windows, doors, and foundation, preventing water from making its way inside. Although there are several ways to maintain gutters throughout the year, most gutters will need to be repaired or replaced eventually to help protect your home.

Look for these five signs to determine when it’s time to replace your home’s gutter system. Don’t forget to take a gander at our handy infographic at the end to learn more about the importance of siding maintenance.

  1. Cracks or splits of any kind
    While small cracks in your gutters may not seem like a big issue, small cracks will eventually turn into big ones and it may happen sooner than you think. If you allow cracks to remain, water can not only damage gutters further, it can damage the fascia boards behind the gutters, the shingles above the gutter and the siding and foundation below.
  1. Paint peeling on or around your gutters and/or rust
    The paint on your gutter is designed to withstand the typical wear and tear throughout the seasons. Unless your gutters are extremely old, peeling paint or orange flecks from the beginning stages of rust are an indicator that water is present on a continuous basis. This could mean water or debris is not being removed from the gutters or that cracks and other damage may exist.
  1. Pools of water or signs of mildew around your home’s foundation
    Gutters are designed with the purpose of keeping water flowing away from your home’s foundation. If you notice pools of water or mildew near the foundation, it can indicate that the gutters are not working as intended. This could be caused by something as simple as a clog or by something as complex as a defect in the gutter system. Ponding in the grass and water stains on pavement near the foundation also indicates improper grading.
  1. Water damage or water marks directly beneath the gutters
    Check your gutters at least once a year on a day that’s relatively sunny and free from rain. Water damage or marks underneath the gutter indicate that leaking or overflowing water is escaping the gutter. This type of water intrusion can damage your soffit and fascia board allowing water into the exterior wall.
  1. Gutters sag or have begun to pull away from the house
    This is one of the easiest ways to tell you need gutter repairs or gutter replacement because you don’t need to be on a ladder to notice it. Gutters should never sag or pull away from the home. This can indicate that the gutters are full of water and pulling away from the house due to the weight, improper draining or debris buildup. Sagging gutters require repair or replacement. Gutters and downspouts replacement on an average size home cost $800-$1,500.

Gutters are an essential element to property rainwater runoff. Improperly sloped, maintained or missing gutters easily cause siding and foundation damage, leading to thousands in costly repairs. Roof rainwater flow during a is similar to a waterfall. Either the water is flowing into the gutters or the water is flowing into your home at the siding or possibly inside a foundation crack. This is what happens when gutters are clogged in a downpour.  Water ends up going behind the fascia, soffit, on window and door frames, and siding.  Your home gets a constant saturation of water which needs to flow into the gutters, down the downspouts and away from the home at least 6 feet.

 

Bonus tip: If you have gaps, holes or separations in your siding you will want your home painted and the siding repaired before we have a good spring rainstorm.