One of the most prominent elements of our home exterior is our gutters. They accomplish so much for the maintenance of our homes while we are often neglecting them. Simply put, their value is often understated. Even a mediocre amount of rain can cause our home to sustain a tremendous amount of damage if our gutter guards are wrongly installed, damaged, or require maintenance.
And let’s face it, many of us homeowners generally forget that they exist as we thought about them as being “install and forget” additions to our homes. Thus, many of us don’t spend our days thinking about the condition of our gutters. If you’re like most people, there’s a good chance that you don’t even think about them at all! This is, of course, until something happens to them. So why are gutters vital for the maintenance of our homes, and why should we pay close attention to their well-being?
Gutters and gutter guards serve us in a simple yet very important manner; they channel the water away from the infrastructure of our homes. There is no need to emphasize the importance of maintaining our home in excellent condition lest we face a high amount of bills for the damage they will sustain. While the task at hand seems evident and straightforward, we can encounter many problems in regards to our gutters, either deriving from improper gutter guard installation, incompetencies in regards to our roof and gutters, or trying to fix them with temporary gutter solutions.
You may be thinking that these problems require professionals in the gutter business to handle. However, many of them can be fixed with simple yet efficient solutions. To help you maintain your gutters and fix their problems, we have compiled a list of 5 solutions for five common gutter problems that we may encounter in our household. And trust us when we say this, these are not your old-fashioned clogging problems as we got that covered in another one of our blog posts. Without further ado, continue on reading our list of gutter solutions below!
Gutter Leak Solutions
Starting our list is one of the most common problems encountered in gutter systems; leaks. If you realize that a stream or perhaps a droplet of water is pouring down from an undesired section of your gutters, then the chances are that your gutters have sprung a leak. Holes and leaks are common occurrences that can happen in pretty much any household. The good news is that they are very easy to fix!
First and foremost, you will need to acquire a high-quality gutter sealant. You can obtain such a patching kit in many hardware stores and supermarkets. One thing you must be careful about when choosing your sealant is to make sure that both the material used and the gutters are of the same material. This will ensure that the patching will cause no erosions on your gutters or gutter covers if you are using it on them.
Once you get your sealant, make sure to caulk the spots where you can visibly see holes. You can also use the sealant for the areas where you suspect have minor leaks or are weakening due to years of usage.
Improper Gutter Slope Solutions
Gutter slopes are one of the other common problems occurring in our gutter protection systems. Many homeowners do not give any heed to this issue as it doesn’t seem like a big deal. However, the angle of the slope is essential to the flow of the water in our system. An incorrectly installed slope can cause many problems, such as a mini lake in our background or front lawn.
The best way to deal with this is to check the angle of the slope and see if it was installed correctly. If the slope is directly facing downwards at a fully vertical angle, then water will come down by pummelling our garden or backyard. This will cause erosions in the area and create a pool of water. If the angle is too slanted, then your gutter system may not function at its full capacity.
The best way to slope the gutters is at 1/4th-inch per 10 feet of gutters. You can do this by using a screwdriver and an additional gutter part. If you lack one or the old slope is too damaged, we suggest that you get a new gutter from your local hardware store or an acclaimed online gutter store.
Solutions for Vegetation Growth in Gutters
Being one of the more advanced gutter problems encountered in households, vegetation growth in gutters is not to be taken lightly. While we all like vegetation to some extent, their presence can weigh down your gutters, causing the joints to split or even clog the entirety of your system. They also provide ample growing grounds for animals and insects, which is one of the most undesirable situations we can find ourselves in.
The main reason for the occurrence of these problems derives from unmaintained gutters. As debris such as seeds, leaves, twigs, and bird droppings begin to fill up your rain gutters, this accumulation can provide an area susceptible to plant growth. Even the best gutter guards that were built years ago can sometimes encounter this problem, primarily if you are residing in a place where beautiful trees are present.
Our solution for your rain gutters in this matter comes in the form of simply clearing the blockage within your gutter system. You can use a pressurized water hose with a scoop to do the work. Make sure you do not cause damage to your gutters while using a scoop or similar metal tool. If the vegetation growth has created a habitat that festers of insectoids, then make sure to call professionals as you may encounter hazardous animals and pests that can prove challenging to get rid of. The best way to keep your gutters clean from vegetation is to regularly maintain and check your gutters for any potential debris piling up on your system.
Solutions to Freezing and Icing in Gutters
This problem is one of the readiest ones to occur to homeowners; freezing and icing in gutters. While this is thought to occur only in frigid climates, in reality, it is actually experienced by a lot of homeowners even when there isn’t snow or hails in the weather. It is prevalent for the icing to occur after a heavy rain downpour, mainly if you are living in a zone where weather conditions come close to freezing points overnight.
Gutter solutions for heavy rain are most efficiently solved by thawing the frozen gutters by pouring warm water over them to melt the ice. There is only one problem with this solution. This process can speed up the contraction and still leave your gutters damaged. We highly suggest that you do this in clear weather conditions with the help of a family member. The ideal gutter solution for heavy rain season and cold weather, however, lies by making preparations beforehand.
You can clear your gutters before winter or cold weather conditions arrive. Installing insulation to your roof can also help to a degree. The best solution would be to either install a heavy metal gutter guard system or install heating cables that prevent icing on your roofs and gutters.
Sagging Gutter Solutions
If you allow your gutters to get clogged up with debris like leaves, twigs, still water, and similar nuances, overflowing water will be the least of your problems. The accumulation of weight over time in your gutter system will cause them to start sagging. This problem mainly erupts from old gutter systems or loose hangars, which are the part where our gutters are secure to the exterior of our roofs or homes.
The easiest solution to this is the make sure your screws are tightened up and regularly checked. Another solution can be provided in the form of redistributing the spacing between your gutters to ensure that the water flow is balanced towards your downspouts. If your gutters are warped beyond repair, we advise installing a brand new gutter protection system that offers seamless gutter guards that are debris-immune.
At Art of Gutter, we strive to provide you with the best quality gutter materials for your family home or venue. Our high-tech and innovative gutter guards are durable, efficient, and reliable. Whether you are looking for debris proof 6” micromesh gutter guard with colors or a luxurious and long-lasting 5” micromesh copper gutter guard, we have you covered. You can check out our online store for 5-inch and 6-inch gutter guards that fit into existing and new roofs for any structure. We additionally produce custom size gutter guards according to your needs. Feel free to contact us anytime through our website for more information regarding the best gutter guards in the US!
This is the end of our blog post for “5 Gutter Solutions to Fix Common Problems”! If you are interested in learning more information regarding gutters, gutter cleaning, and gutter protection products, you can check our other blogs such as “Best Gutter Guard Materials for Your Home”, “Why You Should Invest in Copper Gutter Guards for Your Home”, & “The Pros and Cons of Aluminum vs Copper Gutters”.
We’re sure you’ll find more information in regards to gutters and home care with our future blog posts as well. Until next time, be safe and in good vibes!
