Water is the biggest enemy of houses because of its immense powers to damage the construction. Gutters are very important for any home because it helps to channelize the water so that it finds its way to the drain without affecting any parts of the home structure, especially the foundation. Gutters help to maintain the structural integrity of the building hence you must ensure that it functions properly.
Keeping a close eye on gutters so that it does not clog and remain free from sags and holes is must to do the job in the house maintenance list. Regular inspection is the best way to take timely action against any problems that can blow out of proportion if not attended on time. The issues that you might generally face with gutters and the way to resolve it will be clear after reading this article.
Clogging of gutters
The problem of clogged gutters is most common because debris always finds its way into gutters. If the debris, mainly comprising of twigs and tree leaves stay in the gutters for long, allows water to stand for a long time within the gutter, the excessive weight of the collected mass sags gutters. Cleaning gutters once or twice a year, depending on the population of trees around your home, ensure that gutters remain clean and free-flowing. However, if the clogging is frequent, you can arrange for gutter covers to reduce the debris entry into it. Using porous foam on gutters and mesh screens help to reduce the problem, but maintenance is still required.
Leaking gutters, holes in gutters
In the course of time, you would encounter the problem of leaks and holes in the gutter. Being unable to find a remedy on time could expose the building to water damage. For repairing leaks, caulking is the best solution as you can seal the gutter joints, which are most susceptible to leakages, from inside by this method. For repairing large holes, you have to patch it while smaller holes are easy to seal with gutter sealant. Gutter patching sealant is usually readily available at hardware stores and for patching, you must use the technique of metal flashing.
Extend the downspout drain point
It is normal that downspouts drain points have to be at a fair distance away from the building wall to prevent the water finding its way to the basement. For directing the water from the downspout away from the foundation and wall of the building, attach gutter extensions to the downspout so that the drain point extends about to five feet away.
Sagging gutters
Gutters remain securely fastened to the fascia by using hangers, which deteriorates with time and becomes so loose that gutters start sagging. If the hangers are spaced too far, or the fasteners give away then also this problem can occur. Replacing the hangers and realigning the gutters is the way to resolve the issue.
While you can do most of these jobs on your own, hiring property maintenance services relieves you of the stress and save your time.
