Home & Real Estate

Signs Your Gutters Need Replacing

Most of the time, you might not think of your gutters. They seem to just be an extension of your home. But when something happens to them, you’re going to notice. Here are some times when you need to contact a gutter replacement professional: 

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There Are Breaks at the Seams

When your gutters are installed, they are joined by horizontal seams. Those seams need to be airtight, otherwise water can leak between them. If you notice that the seams are loose, then you need to replace the gutters. 

There Are Cracks

Cracks in any part of your home can cause problems. They do things like let in cold air, which will case your furnace to not work as efficiently as it should. A lot of gutters are made of aluminum, which can make them susceptible to cracks. These cracks can also lead to problems with your shingles, which will also lead to things like water leaking inside the attic and causing rot. 

Paint is Peeling Off

At first glance, this might not seem to be too big of a problem. Paint peels off everything, right? If it’s peeling off your gutters, you need to make sure that there’s not standing water that’s making it peel. If there’s standing water in the gutters, then that means the gutters aren’t draining water properly and need to be replaced. 

There’s Water Damage Around the Gutters

Take a look at your gutters – do you see signs of things like rotting wood around them? That means that something’s going on with the gutters. Rotting wood can cause significant structural issues with your home over the course of time. This includes things like mold. If you see these things, get your gutters replaced and have your home inspected to make sure that nothing else is going on. 

There’s Rust

What action you take here depends on how much rust is on the gutters. If it’s a small amount, you can just paint over it. But if there’s a lot of it, then you need to have your gutters replaced. That’s because the rust is showing that there’s a weakness in the overall structure of the gutter and if you leave it alone, it could break at any time. 

They Are Sagging

This is a surefire sign that the gutter needs to be replaced. It means that several things have gone wrong and if you don’t do anything about it, then it could lead to the gutters partially falling off and hanging by the side. Time to get new gutters

There are several reasons why you should replace your gutters if they are broken. The first one is that your home’s aesthetic will suffer if there are broken or dangling gutters. It can also cause water to pool around your foundation. Also, the standing water can create cracks in your driveway, which will also create costly repairs. Your home can leak due to wood rot. Water-breeding insects, like mosquitoes, will love the standing water. 

It’s always a good idea to circle around your place every so often and take a look at the gutters. That way, you may see some early warning signs. While you can keep them in good shape by cleaning them, there are times that things just happen. It’s better to replace the gutters too early than too late. Then you can relax, knowing that you have gutters that are functioning like they should.