Do you have aluminum gutters hanging on the side of your home that have been there for more than 20 years now?
You may want to consider installing new gutters at some point in the near future. You may be able to get a little more life out of them. But generally speaking, most aluminum gutters last for about two decades before they need to be replaced.
There are also all kinds of issues that you can encounter with gutters that will force you to replace them much sooner than that. The gutters on your home play a very important role in its overall well-being, so you shouldn’t ignore any gutter problems that might pop up.
Take a look at 6 signs that will let you know it’s time to replace gutters right away.
1. Cracks and Holes in Your Gutters
When you look up at your gutters from the ground on a nice day, they might look like they’re in decent shape. But it might be a much different story when you step outside on a stormy day to check out your gutters.
Look at your gutters the next time it’s raining to see if you can spot any cracks or holes that are allowing water to spill out. These cracks and holes might be small, but they can cause big problems if you’re not careful.
The good news is that, in some cases, you can have cracks and holes patched up rather than replacing your old gutters with new gutters. But if there are a bunch of cracks and holes in your gutter system, it’ll usually be time to bite the bullet and replace gutters.
2. Gutters Pulling Away from Your Home
Does it appear as though some of the gutters on your home are starting to pull away from your house? This tends to happen when there’s an issue with the fascia boards that sit right underneath your roofline.
You might be able to hammer the fasteners that attach your gutters to your home back in to put your gutters back into place. But if you find that you’re constantly taking this approach to gutter repair, it means you’re going to need to start shopping for new gutters soon.
During gutter replacement, experienced contractors will be able to fix any fascia problems you’re experiencing while hanging new gutters on your home.
3. Gutters Separating from One Another
In order for a guttering system to do its job, all of your individual gutters need to be connected. There are fasteners that are designed to hold them together so they’re able to keep rainwater moving towards your downspouts and down to the ground.
Some of your gutters may start to separate from one another over time, though. When this happens, it’ll often cause rainwater to leak out from the open spaces that are created.
If you only have one or two gutters that are coming loose and separating from other gutters, contractors can usually reconnect them and make it so that they don’t separate again. But if you have a bunch of different gutters separating, it’s best to replace guttering altogether.
4. Water Pooling Around Your Home’s Foundation
There’s a simple reason why you shouldn’t put off installing new gutters on your home any longer than you have to. When you do, you could compromise the integrity of your foundation before long.
When gutters aren’t able to move rainwater away from your home, that water will sometimes end up down around the foundation of your house. And if it sits there long enough, it can start to penetrate the foundation and make its way into your home.
This can lead to a flooded basement. It can also lead to cracks forming in your foundation that can cause your home to become structurally unsound.
Water pooling around your home’s foundation is just about the worst problem you can have when it comes to your gutters. It’s a clear-cut sign that you’ll need new gutters immediately.
5. Paint Peeling from Your Home’s Exterior
Have you noticed that the paint on the side of your home has started to peel?
This shouldn’t be too much of a cause for concern if it’s been a long time since the last time you painted your house. But if it’s only been a few years since you painted, peeling paint could be an indication of a problem with your gutters.
Your gutters might be allowing water to spill over the sides and run down the side of your home. This can cause your paint to peel and make your house look unsightly. Replacing your gutters should make the peeling stop.
6. Gutters Dragging Your Curb Appeal Down
It’s not all that uncommon for gutters to develop black streaks, mildew stains, and other blemishes over the years. There are special cleaners designed to wipe those kinds of blemishes away.
But if you’ve tried to use cleaners and experienced no luck with them, installing new gutters might be the only way to make your home’s gutters look clean again.
Old gutters can drag your curb appeal down and even make your home less valuable to buyers if they look bad enough. Start using your gutters to enhance your curb appeal again by doing gutter replacement.
What to Do When You Need New Gutters
Gutters are one of the most underappreciated aspects of a home. They have such an important job. And yet, many homeowners spend next to no time thinking about them outside of the one or two times when they clean them out throughout the year.
Try to devote more time to cleaning and maintaining your gutters to keep them looking their best and functioning at a high level. Look out for the signs we’ve mentioned here, too, so that you’ll know when you need new gutters.
Contact us today to get a quote for new gutters or to ask any questions you might have about the gutter replacement process.
The post Ignoring It Won’t Make It Go Away: The Very Apparent Signs You Need New Gutters (And What to Do Next) appeared first on TC Backer Construction.