Maintaining gutters is key to home’s overall well-being
Your gutters provide an important service to your home’swell-being, and clean gutters are absolutely crucial. Falling leaves, even if trees aren’t near your gutters, create blockages. In someareas, water that gets backed up into the gutters can cause roof or soffit damage, or help create dams that can cause a lot of roof damage. Clean gutters also help your basement or foundation, becausewater that overflows and pools near the foundation can damage the stone over time. So, it’s important to pay attention to them. Followthis checklist to see if your gutters need attention right away.
Haveyourguttersbeen cleanedlately?
Your gutters need to be cleaned regularly to stay in good shape— debris buildup defeats their purpose. Experts recommend doing it at least twice a year, in spring and fall. It’s not too late to hire a professional for a cleaning this year. You can expect to pay about $150 for a standard gutter cleaning— more if you have a very large house or more than two stories. Checking for licensing, bonding and insurance is always a good idea, but it’s particularly vital on any job involving ladders, because you don’twant to be responsible for damages if someone falls and gets injured.
Aretheysagging? If your gutters sag, you need to address it as soon as possible. Once gutters begin to lean or pull away, the problem getsworse quickly. Your fascia board could rot. Or, the gutters might collapse entirely. Broken spikes and hangers usually cause sagging gutters, so replace this hardware as necessary.
If your gutters aren’t blocked butwater is still escaping, you probably have a leak. These sometimes open at the joints between sections. In those cases, you can reseal them. Cracked gutters will need
Canyouseeleaks?
to be replaced, though.
Doyourguttersshowsigns ofdamage? Several telltale markers can give you early warning of gutter damage. If paint is peeling on or around them, itmaymean water is present. Pools of water or mildew near the foundation indicate trouble. If you seewatermarks orwater damage beneath the gutters, water is probably escaping. Hire a professional to investigate any of these problems.
Aretheypitched correctly?
Guttersmust be slightly pitched toward the downspout. Most gutters are pitched at⅛ or 1⁄16 inch per foot. You usually can’t determine this by looks alone. But ifwater pools and there’s no blockage, your gutters are probably improperly pitched. Pitch adjustment is a delicate job thatmust be done precisely. It’s best left to a professional. Also check to see if your downspouts directwater at least 3 feet away fromthe house, to prevent pooling (4 or 6 feet is even better).