5 Signs Your Rain Gutters Need Replacing ASAP
Gutters may not be the most exciting part of your home, but they’re an essential item that every homeowner should pay attention to.
Why? Simply, gutters work to move rainwater away from your home in the case of a storm or heavy rain. If your gutters aren’t functioning properly, you risk serious damage to your home.
Although gutters are built to last, they don’t last forever. So, how can you know when it’s time for a rain gutter replacement?
Keep reading to find five signs that it’s time to repair or replace your home’s gutters.
1. Water in the Basement Means It’s Time for a Rain Gutter Replacement
If you’ve noticed pools of water near the foundation of your home or in your basement that you can’t explain, this can be a serious problem.
While basement leaks can sometimes be caused by plumbing issues or cracked windows, it can also be caused by damaged gutters. If you’ve recently experienced heavy rain and the water can’t be explained by any other cause, it’s probably your gutters to blame.
When your gutters aren’t draining properly, rainwater is no longer removed safely from the house. Instead, it gathers near the exterior walls of your house and often leaks into the basement.
Water drainage issues can damage your home’s foundation, along with furniture, family heirlooms, and items in storage, so it’s not worth taking the risk—look for local gutter replacement companies at the first sign of water damage to your basement or home.
2. Mold or Mildew Is Appearing
Mold and mildew are not something you want in your house. Homeowners depend on their gutters to disperse water at least several feet away from the house, but if they’re not working correctly, water gets in and around the home—leading to mold problems.
When interior and exterior parts of the home get wet over time, mold and mildew can develop. Although you may notice its green or brown color, it often appears in places where we can’t see it, such as in dark corners of the basement or under your deck.
Even if you can’t see it, you can sometimes smell mold. It tends to have an earthy or musty smell, or you may even smell rotting wood caused by the water damage.
Mildew is not only unsightly, but it can cause serious health issues, such as breathing problems, red and itchy eyes, and coughing. It can also worsen asthma symptoms.
If you have a mold problem, you may need both gutter replacements and the services of a mold cleaning technician, who can safely treat the home to remove the mold.
3. You’ve Noticed Cracks or Holes in Your Gutters
If your gutters aren’t looking your best, it’s not only a cosmetic issue but also a structural one. If maintained, your home’s gutters should last around 20 years, but they will eventually need replacing.
Inspect your gutters regularly to look for cracks, holes, or any damage from storms or aging. If you see any cracks, gaps, or problems, water is not going to travel easily through your gutters—it’s going to drip down onto your house.
While you’re up there, you’ll also want to check for any leaves, branches, or debris, which can get trapped in your gutters and stop them from working properly.
If you’ve noticed cracks, we recommend going online and searching for ‘gutter repair near me‘ to find a local company that can help.
4. Peeling Paint
Have a walk around the exterior of your house and check the condition of your home’s paint job. If the exterior paint or siding is starting to peel off, has become damaged, or looks warped or otherwise off, this is most likely caused by water damage from your gutters not working properly.
If the damage appears all around the house, you probably need a complete gutter replacement. However, if it’s only in a certain area, you might just need to replace a certain section of your gutter.
Peeling paint takes away from the beauty of your home, so you’ll want to repaint and make sure it doesn’t happen again by fixing your gutters.
5. Gutters Are Pulling Away from the House
Another clear sign that you need new gutters is when they start pulling away from the house. If your gutters look to be sagging or pulling away from the home, this is often due to the weight of standing water in the gutters.
Water should move through your gutters quickly and then drain out, but if the water is staying inside the gutters, this could be due to damage or blockages.
Once the gutters have started to sag or pull away, it may be too late to save them—but an experienced gutter replacement company should be able to assess the situation and give you advice.
Find a Gutter Replacement Company In Your Area
Rain gutter replacement isn’t an expense that homeowners look forward to, but it’s an important one. Your gutters play a vital role in keeping your home safe, and the price of gutter repair provides peace of mind that you won’t need to pay for pricey structural repairs to your home caused by damaged gutters.
If any of the above signs sound familiar, look for a gutter repair company in your area and reach out. They should be able to provide an estimate for the job and you’ll then be on track to a safe and protected home, even in the case of a storm.
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