Rain gutter maintenance is often something on a home that gets forgotten but is necessary in order to mitigate potential long term damage to your home due to poor preforming rain gutters. In many cases
it is better to not have rain gutters than a rain gutter that is not working properly.
Signs to look for when your rain gutter is not working properly:
- Water leaking from corners- this is a sign that your rain gutters need to be resealed. If you are unsure how to do it, this is something that pays to hire a professional. Often times we see homeowners attempting to fix leaks on their own only to find that their repair is only temporary.
- Water flowing behind the rain gutter- when you encounter this problem, it is best to consult a professional to assess the installation of the rain gutter and/ or potential roof leaks.
- Water overflowing from the rain gutter- this problem is a sign that your rain gutter is either undersized in terms of downspouts or size of rain gutter or that you have clogged downspouts. Often times it is the later and cleaning is all that is needed to ensure continued performance.
- Rain gutter pulling away from fascia- this can be caused by either fastener failure or failing fascia. This is a problem that should be taken very seriously as soon as it is seen. If not you could face significant repair expenses as the rain gutter can be seriously damaged or damage more property as it pulls away from your home.
- Standing water in rain gutter- a little standing water is expected in some sections of the rain gutter as it is difficult to put downspouts in all locations to minimize ponding. For the most part though, your rain gutter should not be ponding water as this is a sign of an incorrectly sloped rain gutter. If this is the case it can lead to greater debris build up which will eventually clog the rain gutters or increased infestation of mosquitos. There are points that rain gutters are installed level for aesthetic reasons, when this is done rain gutters will require significantly more maintenance. As a general rule rain gutters should be installed with slope.
- Water leaking from downspout connection to rain gutter- this usually happens due to downspouts beginning to tear away from the bottom of the rain gutter or failure of sealant in that connection. When you come across a problem like this sometimes resealing is effective, but the best solution is to have a professional evaluate the attachment of the downspout as this is often times a source of failure on the rain gutter.
- Smashed downspout elbows- this is a common occurrence and can easily be fixed with a replacement elbow.
It is always best to observe your rain gutters while it is raining for best assessment of any repairs that may need to be made to you rain gutters. Don’t hesitate to take a picture or video so that you can have it available if you need to consult a professional. If repairs are left unattended on rain gutters they can lead to repairs that will cost significantly more than just repairing the rain gutter to start with.