gutter replacement

Warning signs you need new gutters:

• First and foremost, if you have gutters that are secured with nails, they are old and need to be replaced. As temps change, the fascia wood that the gutter is attached to, shrinks and swells. The nails start to back out, and eventually the holes do not hold the nail.
  
  
• While small cracks and leaky seams in your gutters may not seem like a big issue, they will eventually turn into big ones and it may happen sooner than you think. If you do not seal the cracks and seams, winter weather will freeze the water in the gutter, further damaging the gutter and seams. Extensive cracking and failed seams is a reason to consider replacement.
  
  
• While small cracks and leaky seams in your gutters may not seem like a big issue, they will eventually turn into big ones and it may happen sooner than you think. If you do not seal the cracks and seams, winter weather will freeze the water in the gutter, further damaging the gutter and seams. Extensive cracking and failed seams is a reason to consider replacement.
  
  
• Constant overflowing clean gutters during heavy downpours is a sure sign that your gutters are undersized. Most homes have 5” gutters and 2”x3” downspouts, this is a builder grade standard go-to even know it is not sufficient. 6” gutters and 3”x4” downspouts are a no brainer. The extra inch goes a long way when it comes to a gutter’s ability to do its job. Larger rain gutters have a larger capacity to handle the rainwater and leaf debris that flow through it. This means less risk of clogging and better protection against water damage, especially when those heavy storms hit.

• Upper gutter runs draining into lower gutters is a sure sign you need new larger gutters. The stress put on the lower gutter is often to much for heavier downpours. We see this all the time with split level homes.

• Long spans of gutter with only 1 downspout are a common issue we see with builders saving a nickel. The rule of thumb is to slope a gutter ¼” for every 10 linear feet of gutter. Long spans with proper slope will drop the gutter to much, and the water will flow over top of the gutter, and miss it completely.

• Large steep roofs with 5” gutter systems are very common. Again, it comes back to the builder saving a nickel, and installing a 5” gutter system rather than a 6”.