Most people know that gutter maintenance is a necessity. You should make sure you have your gutters cleared out once or twice a year. Even with proper care, your gutters can’t last forever. If it’s been a good long while since you got new gutters, or you’re living in a home that likely has very old ones, you may want to see if you need a gutter replacement. It’s easy to overlook your gutters. Cleaning them is a nightmare and to get to them you need a ladder. When you get ready to inspect your gutters, look for some clear signs of decay.
Up on the roof
Before you make your way up to your roof, you should know what you’re looking for.
- Cracks, splits, or holes. This is the easiest indication to spot. If there is physical damage to your gutters it can have a pretty major effect on your home. Make sure to contact someone for gutter replacement.
- Look for orange flakes or rust. Orange flakes are the very beginnings of rust and are a good sign that you are in need of new gutters.
- Uneven gutters or loose gutters won’t require a whole replacement. These issues can be fixed by replacing the affected sections. These problems can create pooling and leaking, so be sure to look out for them.
- If there is standing water in your gutters, you know that something is wrong. This means your gutters simply aren’t doing their job.
- Notice the paint on the exterior of your home. Is it chipping or rotting away? If it is, water has likely seeped under it due to gutter failure.
On the ground
Believe it or not, faulty gutters can cause a fair bit of damage to your home inside and out.
- Check around the foundation of your home for pools of water and mildew. If water isn’t draining away properly, it can cause random leaks and consequently, minor flooding.
- Gutter problems are actually the leading cause of basement flooding. If you’ve encountered mysterious flooding that seem to have no cause, look to your gutters. Sometimes pooling water can invade your basement instead of staying on the ground.
- You may find random nails and metal on the ground around your home when your gutters start to decay. The faulty bits have no where to go but down.
For more information on gutter replacement and a free consultation contact Absolute Home Solutions at 240-328-9872. You can also connect with Absolute Home Solutions on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.
