7 Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Gutters

One of the most important parts of your home are the gutters. But they are often overlooked. The gutters on your home protect it by helping to move the rainwater so it won’t cause damage. Sometimes you have to replace your gutters. Are you wondering if you have to replace them now? Below are seven signs to you that it’s time.

1. You can see Damage on Your Gutters

There are times when you can fix small gutter issues. An example would be if you’re noticing a small hole, it’s possible that it can be patched. Also, if your gutters are starting to detach from the roof, it’s possible you’ll be able to tighten your hardware.

But if you have really severe damage it usually will mean you have to buy new gutters. Some damage you could notice includes rust spots and corrosion. You could be seeing gaps in those seems between the different gutter sections and you also might find broken fasteners or hardware on the ground beneath your gutters.

2. There is Water Damage to Your Home

Even if you don’t see issues on your gutters, if you’re seeing water damage, this could be a sign that your gutters need to be replaced. If you’re always having icy spots, land erosion or water puddles beneath your gutters, it could mean that they’re not working right.

In addition, it’s important to look at your home’s side. Dirt rivulets or peeling paint also could also mean that you have leaking gutters.

If there’s mildew in the basement and you aren’t able to find another cause, it also could mean that you have issues with your gutters. Additionally, you should look at the side of your home. Peeling paint or rivulets of dirt may also indicate that your gutters are leaking.

If your basement has mildew and you can’t find any other cause, that may also signal gutter issues. If your gutters aren’t doing their job by transporting water from your house, water is able to accumulate along your home’s base and it can get into the basement through your home’s foundation. This can lead to musty odors, mildew, or flooding.

3. You’re Replacing Your Roof

Even though you can technically put your old gutters onto your new roof, but you want to upgrade the gutters when you are getting a new roof. There are times when it’s going to be necessary.

An example would be if you’re putting a roof made of metal on your home, it’s a good idea to choose gutters with a lower profile. When the snow is melting on your metal roof, usually it will come down in large chunks. This often will damage gutters that are wide, but usually it will arch over the gutters with low profiles.

4. The Gutters Contain Lead Paint

This is going to be fairly rare, but if you have gutters that are from 1978 or earlier, they could contain lead paint. If the paint on them look as if it had been put on in a factory, chances are that it’s not lead. But if the gutters look like they were painted by hand, it’s a sign that they might contain lead.

The good news is that it’s very easy and quick to test for lead. Buy a lead testing strip, then rub it against the gutter and then wait. If the strip changes color, you want to upgrade and get safer, newer gutters.

5. You Don’t Like Your Gutter’s Look

Sometimes you simply are tired of looking at the gutters that you have. If you don’t like their shape or color, this is a great reason that you want to upgrade your gutters and get some new ones.

6. You Were Injured Cleaning the Gutters

Each year there are approximately 136K injuries that are ladder related and in from 1990-2005 the number went up by half. If you’ve been injured while you were cleaning the gutters, chances are that you want to upgrade to a system that you won’t need to clean. When you have covers on your rain gutters, you’ll never have to be concerned about removing debris such as leaves from the gutters.

7. You Want to Avoid Getting Hurt

You don’t want to wait until you’ve been injured to change. The time to change your gutters is before something happens. Think about investing in a system that doesn’t require you to do maintenance or cleaning.

One of the things that you want to do is to make sure that you have the best gutters for your home. Having the right gutters can help you save money and avoid some big problems in the future. It can help protect your home and avoid flooding and other problems that water damage can do to your home and family.

About Gulf Coast Exteriors

GCE Gutters is a residential and commercial gutter service committed to providing professional quality service at a competitively low prices in Fort Myers and Cape Coral Florida. Let GCE Gutters show you how we are becoming the area’s finest gutter cleaning, repair and installation company in Lee County.