Eavestroughs aren’t only a part of your home aesthetics, but also a defense system for your residence. They prevent water from seeping into your walls, gathering on the roof, accumulating on your driveway, or damaging the home’s landscape. You can easily overlook the importance of eavestroughs, but when they stop working, you realize how much your home actually depends on them.
Although regular cleaning and maintenance of your eavestroughs increase their longevity, you need to repair or replace them eventually. This will save you from severe property damage, especially if your area receives heavy rain. With that in mind, here’s how you can decide whether you need to replace or repair:
When To Repair
Most eavestroughs are made of aluminum, and even with their long life expectancies, they also go through wear and tear, so you might need to repair them.
The Main Signs That’ll Prompt Your Repair Include:
- Detached gutter: You must periodically inspect the entire eavestrough system to check for loosened or detached downspouts. If you notice that the gutter cross section or elbows are loose, you need to enlist repair services, like those offered by Trades by Jack, to ensure they don’t damage the foundation of your building.
- Localized damage: When the eavestrough damage has only affected one section or few parts of the gutter system, you need to repair these areas. You can fix small cracks or holes in the system by cleaning them with alcohol and using a sealant to coat them.
- Faded or peeling paint: The paint on your eavestrough helps it to withstand various weather conditions and contributes to the home’s beauty. If you see the paint peeling, it’s a sign of water stagnation on the gutter, and you need to contact professionals to inspect and do the repair right away. Faded paint on the eavestrough defeats the purpose of installing the sidings, making your home less beautiful.
- Sagging gutters: Another sign you need repair is when you have sagging eavestroughs. Typically, they should slant uniformly from the high to low end to allow for proper water flow. However, they can sag due to the accumulation of dirt and debris, being hit by falling branches, or poor installation by your contractor.
Like the rest of your home, you must know when your eavestrough needs repair to avoid worse property damage.
When To Replace
The following signs indicate that you need to replace your eavestrough:
- Recurring issues: When you’ve been repairing and constantly cleaning the gutters, and problems like leaks and constant detaching never seem to end, it’s time to consider installing new eavestroughs. The regular repair could be expensive compared to getting a new set.
- Water leaking: When your gutter system works correctly, you shouldn’t see water leaking below or pouring over the eavestrough. It should ensure water smoothly flows away from your compound. Therefore, when your eavestrough has developed huge cracks or holes, and the seams, corners, and joints are leaking, it’s time to replace the whole system.
- Indoor mold issues: When your eavestroughs aren’t working, water starts to go down the side of your house. The moisture gets in and causes dampness that encourages mold growth. It’d help if you considered replacing your eavestrough when you see mold growth to avoid respiratory health issues.
- Eroded landscape: If you notice leaks in your landscape, it means the current gutter system can’t hold the water amounts. The overflow causes runoff on your compound or a flooded garden. For this reason, you need to consider replacing the existing eavestrough.
- Restoration work: Of course, you need gutter replacement when you’re doing restoration work in your home and want to improve the property aesthetically. This allows you to choose eavestrough color schemes that match the new color schemes of your home. Also, it’ll enable you to change the style, maybe from old gothic or copper spouting to something unique and with class.
- Separated from the fascia: The primary function of eavestroughs is to collect and move runoff water from your roof; when it comes off, it isn’t effective. When separated, it won’t be able to catch runoff water and instead leave the water to fall close to your foundation. If your eavestrough is in this state, it’s time to replace them. Avoid reattaching such gutters because, under their weight, they’re twisted and can’t be effective anymore.
Conclusion
From the discussion above, you now know several factors to consider before choosing whether to repair or replace your eavestrough. Both remedial options are feasible, but it depends on the extent of the damage. Therefore, inspect your gutters regularly to identify any defects you may need to act upon. When you can’t make a decision, consider enlisting the help of a professional who’ll inspect your entire system and direct your choice.
