Welcome to Family Roofing

CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE – 202-276-5004   FAMILY.ROOFING@YAHOO.COM

At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

GUTTER MAINTENANCE TIPS

No matter where you live, chances are, you have a gutter system to help protect your home’s foundation.  That means that with the long list of other house repairs that are necessary for proper upkeep, your home’s gutter system will need some attention on the regular as well to prevent you from needing excessive repairs.  A gutter system plays a crucial role in water management for your home.  Its main function is to collect rainwater and discard it away from the house.  Otherwise, stagnant water can seep into the foundation of your house and compromise its integrity.

The absence of a robust gutter system can lead to several issues and even the need for expensive home repairs. Typically, a gutter system can last for 20-30 years.  The key to making it last is routine gutter repair and maintenance.

 

Regular Gutter Cleaning

You should get your gutters professionally cleaned at least twice a year, once in spring and other in fall.  If many trees surround your house, you may be required to clean the gutter more than twice a year.  A dirty, clogged up gutter can also attract rodents and other pests.  Cleaning a gutter is a physically demanding job.  If you’re uncomfortable climbing a ladder, it would be best to hire a professional gutter cleaning company.

Repair Leaks & Cracks

A small leak may seem harmless now, but it can expand and lead to bigger problems.  Regularly inspect your gutters for crack and fractures.  If you find any minor cracks, immediately seal them with silicone caulk.  However, this usually works for small leaks. You should consult a professional for major gutter repairs.  Holes and gaps in the gutters can be the result of temperature fluctuations pulling apart gutter sections, animals that have chewed through the seams of the gutter system, or debris that has punctured the gutter.  Gaps may also be present between the gutter and the roofline, which may indicate a bracket coming loose. These problems should be addressed as they compromise the efficacy of the gutters and pose a hazard to your home’s foundation.

Rust in the Gutters

Rust in the gutters often means that the system is old enough to be replaced, or that there has previously been enough standing water to corrode the interior, which can lead to breaking or other problems that will require immediate repair later.  Gutter rust only occurs in cheaper systems made of metal.  Gutters that have been galvanized or rust-protected are typically resistant to rust, but it doesn’t always guarantee prevention of it. If the rust is minimal and only along the surface, it may be able to be brushed out with a wire brush. Pitted metal or rust that runs deeper into the metal will require the system is replaced.  Rusting is inevitable since gutters are constantly exposed to moisture.  If there are small patches of rust, you can easily scrub them away.  But if a major section has been damaged, it would be best to replace the entire section.

Install Gutter Guards

In addition to removing debris, it’s also necessary to prevent debris from entering the pipes in the first place.  That can be achieved by installing gutter guards.  Rather than cleaning out the insides of the gutters, keep most of the debris out with gutter guards.

Gutter guards play a critical role in keeping unwanted debris out of your gutters.  They are designed to let water seep down safely but stop leaves, twigs, and other debris from clogging your gutter system.  Whether you have regular gutters or seamless gutters, there are multiple styles and designs available so you can pick one that suits your home.

Gutter guard installation will cost money upfront, but they pay for themselves in the long run.  You won’t have to spend lots of money every fall cleaning up clogged gutters or repairing water damage caused by clogged gutters.  Gutter guards typically save you time and money you would spend maintaining your gutters every year.  Moreover, you’ll avoid the risk of hanging precariously up your ladder every fall trying to clean up your clogged gutters.

When damp or wet debris stays in gutters for long, it can cause them to rust quickly.  This can result in a whole host of problems.  If the issue isn’t addressed soon enough, rust can cause your gutters to deteriorate quickly, causing you to spend a lot of money replacing your entire gutter system.

Look for Signs of Mold

Are there any black or green patches around the gutter system?  Any signs of mold, mildew, and fungus could be pointing towards leaks.  Inspect any signs of mold to discover the source of the leak.  Catching it early on will allow you to fix it before a serious problem occurs.

Replace Broken Fasteners

Gutters are exposed to harsh natural elements like storms, hail, heavy rain, snow, and so on.  Fasteners make sure the gutters are able to bear these extra stresses and continue working properly.  If you’ve noticed any broken fasteners, replace them straight away.  A couple of broken fasteners isn’t alarming, but you should get your gutters professionally inspected if the problem persists.

Loose Gutter Spikes

The last of the simple gutter maintenance tips that we are going to tell you about, is keeping an eye out for loose gutter spikes.  The old style of hardware used to mount the gutter to the wall go by many names like gutter spikes, gutter nails, gutter screws, etc.  They all are basically the same thing.  A big spike driven through the gutter.  You can see these spikes all around your home.  Gutter spikes slowly pull loose over time, and neglect can make them pull loose even faster.  If debris accumulates and forms a clog, water can’t escape.  Once the water pools up it gets very heavy inside the gutter, causing a lot of stress on the mounting hardware. This will pull them loose from their holes. Luckily for you, this is usually a simple fix.

Fix Sagging Gutters

Clogged up debris can weigh down your gutters and make them sag.  In some cases, it can easily be fixed with extra fasteners and gutter screws.

Bowing or Leaking

A bowing gutter means that it has sustained too much weight for what it can hold, whether it gives out due to a structural problem, age, or for another reason.  This is most common if the gutter has not had regular maintenance performed on it, or if a snow load or exceptionally heavy rains exert too much weight on the system all at once.  Depending on where the leak was found, it can be the result of different problems.  Leaking gutters means that there is standing or pooling water that has collected around a loose seam, or that the brackets against the house have been pulled lose, exposing a gap between the roofline and the gutter.

Rodents and Other Pests

Rats, wasps, mosquitos, birds, and other pests like to nest in gutters if it does not receive regular maintenance.  Leaf litter, windbreaking walls, and standing water are attractive resources that can provide shelter, warmth, nesting material and security to a wild animal that unwittingly finds itself a tenant of your home.  It is best to remove these critters humanely as soon as you see them, as nests and food stores can easily clog your gutter and cause additional damages.

Clean Downspouts

When you’re cleaning the gutter, make sure you clean out the downspouts as well.  Also, consider installing a downspout extension to ensure the water is released far away from your home’s foundation.

Detached or Missing Downspouts

In gutters that have been especially neglected, it is not uncommon to see downspouts that are detached or even missing. Sometimes, homeowners will do this on purpose as an unfinished DIY project, or to remove the rain from reaching a specific location. What this does, however, is contribute to erosion below the exit, where excess water pours out.

Splash Blocks

Check to make sure your splash blocks are angled so the water flows away from the foundation of the house.  Do not angle them towards any walk or driveway since this could cause a slipping hazard.

Do Gutter Guard Require Maintenance?

Gutter guards are pieces of perforated metal that allow rainwater to enter into the gutter system but prevent larger debris like leaves and acorns from entering the system. This system also helps discourage rodents and other pests from entering the gutters.  A lot of gutter guards advertise themselves as being maintenance free, but there is no such thing as a ‘maintenance free’ gutter guard, as they should still be periodically checked to prevent buildup of leaf litter and debris in the gutter.  Gutter guards still require periodic maintenance to hose off any standing debris over the top of the gutter guard and no damages to the outside. The interior of the gutter system should still be checked to ensure that there are no hidden clogs or problems that could have escaped into the gutter interior, hidden from view.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re fixing up your existing house or constructing one from the ground up, you cannot overlook installing and maintaining a durable gutter system.  While it doesn’t add much to your home’s visual aspect, it does an indispensable job of keeping your home safe from water stagnation and subsequent irreversible damage.