Gutters that are damaged or rusted through can lead to serious problems if left unrepaired. Despite this, many homeowners fail to have their gutter repair or regularly inspected for damage, until neglected repairs result in more severe damage that can’t be ignored.
One of the most cited reasons for ignoring gutters is the cost. Most people mistakenly assume that if some parts of the gutters are malfunctioning the entire home will need new gutters. This is simply untrue. Conversely, it is entirely possible to catch damage early on and merely fix the affected area. This is a great way to keep your gutters functioning at their best without fear of breaking the budget!
Why Are Gutters So Important Anyway?
Many homeowners are aware that they have gutters but fail to understand just how important they are at keeping a home safe and healthy. The main purpose of gutters is to safely divert rain, melting snow, and other precipitation out and away from your home. Failure to recognize the importance of gutters may result in severe damage to your home due to significant malfunctioning issues.
Whenever gutters are clogged with leaves or debris, water backs up and no longer has a safe way to be diverted. Instead, it may pool onto parts of your roof where it will remain for days or weeks until it can evaporate. Overtime, standing water can result in mold/mildew growth, algae/moss growth, rot, and deterioration. If the issue is left uncorrected for long enough, it is possible significant deterioration will occur to the underlying structure of the roof, as well as the possibility of water leaking into the home, resulting in expensive and severe damages.
In other cases, gutters may be rusted through or misaligned leading to issues of freezing or heavy impact to one area near your home. Frequently, the result of a faulty gutter is a gush of water hitting directly near your home, instead of being diverted safely away.
Overtime, this can erode your foundation, leading to issues with the structural integrity of your home. Additionally, your landscaping plants and shrubs will be pelted with water which may flatten or damage plants and cause erosion to the surrounding soil/mulch that you have so painstakingly arranged.
Consider A Bi-Annual Inspection
While the scenarios above are extreme cases of what may occur if your gutters are overlooked, the good news is with preventative maintenance you will have peace of mind that your home is safe and secure. When you choose a regular fall and spring inspection, a trained professional will climb up and examine every inch of your gutters. He or she can quickly identify areas that are clogged, damaged, rusted, or misaligned.
When these issues are caught quickly, they can often be affordably repaired, and cleaned saving you money by avoiding total replacement or additional damage to your home. However, when homeowners choose to neglect their gutters, the converse is true.
Severe damage to your gutters could result in a more extensive and costly, full gutter replacement. Furthermore, when water has been backed up, you can almost guarantee there is subsequent damage to your roof, landscaping, and underlying components of your home. The cost to make repairs, after severe damage has already occurred, will be exponentially more expensive than simply maintaining your gutters on a regular interval.
Gutter Repair
One of the most important parts of regular care for your gutters is repairing small damages before they worsen or cause more significant damage. There are several types of damage that may occur to your gutters. Providing the damage is not too severe, it can be easily repaired by an experienced gutter company. This affordable solution will even increase the longevity of your gutters for years. Continue reading to learn more about the most common types of gutter damage and how the repair process works.
When Holes Abound
One of the most common types of damage that occurs to gutters is the development of pesky holes. These can occur due to rust that causes further deterioration and creates a hole. However, gutters are also frequently damaged by the impact of debris or tree branches colliding into them as they fall. Commonly, copper and aluminum gutters are most susceptible to becoming damaged by a falling object while, steel gutters are most vulnerable to rust related holes.
In these situations, time is of the essence as a small hole will continue to get bigger if left unrepaired. A professional gutter contractor will have the skills, materials, and knowledge to correctly patch your hole so your gutters can continue to function at their best for years to come. An early repair can save you a headache later and avoid the necessity of total replacement.
Help! My Gutters Sprung a Leak
Your gutters take the brunt of wind, inclement weather, falling debris, and other contaminants. Thus, components of the gutters may start to fail well before the entire gutter needs replaced. This most commonly occurs when the joints in the gutter begin to wear out and sustain leaks.
Unfortunately, even if you initially invested in a Denver gutters system, it is still entirely probable that you will deal with a leak sooner or later. This is because there are still seams that are attached to the downspout and corners. Thankfully, no matter where the leak is a skilled gutter company can quickly make the necessary repairs and your gutters will function good as new once again.
Say No to Sagging
Sagging gutters are another common issue that crops up overtime. This typically occurs when the spike mechanism, that holds the gutter in place, works itself free. Thus, lacking support the gutter will begin to sag or even worse fall down entirely. Hence, if you notice sagging, it is best to repair the issue sooner rather than later. However, this repair is important to ensure your gutters function properly and last for many more years.
If you’ve been in the habit of neglecting your gutters, don’t wait another day to schedule a gutter inspection. Allow the experts to identify any damage and repair the issue(s) promptly, saving you time, money, and frustration in the future.
