Gutters aren’t a big item most homeowners keep an eye on. If gutters are mostly doing their job, homeowners usually ignore them. So how to you know if your gutters need replaced or just repaired? Below are a few situations where your gutters should be replaced.
After a roof replacement – The best rule of thumb is to replace your gutters right after your roof has been replaced. When your old gutters are removed all the seals are broken. It’s hard to reseal old gutters once that’s been broken. If you keep up with the pattern of replacing your gutters everytime your roof has been replaced, you should not have any problems with your gutters.
Large Quantity of Rust Spots or Holes – Sometimes this can be repaired by sealant or a new section of gutters. But if rust or holes are consistent on every run of gutter, replacing your gutters will be better a choice to spend money on.
Sagging or Bowed Out Gutters – Sagging and bowing is caused by improperly pitched gutters. Water begins to pool and be held at sections of gutters; without being able to drain out the gutter sags at the weight of water over time. Once a couple sections are sagging, it’s best just to replace your gutters and make sure all runs have proper pitch to allow for drainage.
Flooded Basement – What a nightmare! And an expensive nightmare if you have a furnished basement. If your gutters are old and just aren’t making the cut your basement can flood. When your gutters aren’t channeling water away from your home’s perimeter, all that water seeps into your basement. Over time this can cause foundation damages too!
Wrong Size Gutters – This can be hard for the average homeowner to decipher, but any contractor should be able to stop by (at no charge) to verify if your home has the proper sized gutters. Most homes come with the standard 5” gutter; however, if your home has a really steep pitch the water flow can amplify and overwhelm the 5” gutter system. Click here to visit our other article on 5” vs 6” Gutters.
