You gutters are an important part of your home but if ignored and left without proper maintenance for too long they can get into bad shape. Warning signs are missed and then problems grow in scope and scale. One day you look up and your gutter is sagging and no longer attached to your home. Despite the age old belief that duct tape can fix anything sometimes a more serious approach is needed.
Gutters can also wear out with age and parts will need to be replaced. If you keep a good eye on them then you can plan and follow wear.
Your gutters are an important part of your home. They move water away from your walls and foundation keeping them dry. If your gutters are damaged or falling apart they are no longer doing their job and your home probably has some drainage problems. Fixing your gutters now and creating a regular maintenance schedule in the future will keep your gutters moving water away from your home.
Here are some of the most common types of gutter repairs:
Leak Sealing
If your gutters are cracked or leaking then they won’t be draining moisture away from the structure of your home. Where possible they can be sealed and patched to repair leaks or cracks. This puts them back into working order and keeps moisture where it’s supposed to be.
Outlet Replacement
A gutter outlet is the piece that joins a gutter with a downspout. It is round and connects a hole cut in the gutter specifically for it with the pipe below it. The outlet sticks out from the bottom of the hole to join the pipes. There are a few different styles of outlets that vary mostly in width. Outlets are typically made of aluminum. When an outlet wears out or the hole supporting it rusts you may need to replace it.
Section Replacement
When a section of guttering is damaged, falling apart, mangled or detached it will need to be replaced. Fortunately it is possible to replace one section of guttering so if only part of the system is damaged this minimizes the repairs needed.
Downpipe Reattachment
Your gutters collect water then that water drains into downpipes to be carried away from your home into a suitable drainage location. When a downpipe is not properly attached or detached all together it can no longer do that job and serious water pooling and drainage problems can develop.
Alignment and Adjustment
When your gutters are installed they are angled so that water drains towards the downspouts. Over time wind, rain, snow, leaves and your home settling can throw that alignment off. If not properly aligned water won’t drain well and can pool in your gutters.
Screening Installation
Gutter guards and screens are a popular addition to a gutter system. They reduce the amount of maintenance needed — though they don’t eliminate the need for it altogether — by keeping debris out of gutters. This reduces wear and clogs and improves the efficiency of your gutters. It also reduces the amount of stagnant water pooling in your gutters. That water provides a breeding ground for insects and wears away at the material your gutters are made of.
North Shore Home Services offers all of the gutter repairs listed above. If you think your gutters are in trouble, give us a call and we can help.
