Gutters guide water away from your home and safeguard it from moisture damage and foundation problems. They may appear as a small part of your home exterior, but without them, you may end up with big trouble.
Worn out gutters can not only cause foundation damage, but also flooded landscaping, deterioration of your shingles, soffits or fascia, roof leaks, basement leaks, and floods. Check out these signs to tell if your gutters need to be replaced.
Signs Your Gutters Need to Be Replaced:
1. Overflowing Gutters
Your gutters are wide enough to keep up with rainfall without overflowing. So if you see water falling to the ground from random places in your gutters, they need to be replaced. Water should only flow out of your downspouts.
2. Sagging Gutters
When gutters sag, it not only looks unsightly, but it’s also a sign they need to be replaced. Sagging may occur because your gutters’ brackets are loose, which may have happened because they overflowed for a period of time. If you don’t repair your sagging gutters, you’ll likely end up with pooling water around your home’s foundation, and your gutters may break off.
3. Soil Erosion
Faulty gutter systems can cause soil to erode from your lawn and expose your home’s foundation to moisture damage. If your yard’s soil looks like it’s thinning out, it could be because your gutters need to be replaced.
4. Pooling Water Around Your Home’s Perimeter
When debris clogs your gutters or your downspout and causes them to overflow, you end up with saturated soil in pockets around your home’s perimeter that can lead to foundation damage if you don’t replace your gutters.
5. Cracked Gutters
If there are visible cracks or fractures in your gutters, water will leak onto your fascia rather than being channeled away from your home. Small cracks left alone will become large cracks and the longer you leave them, the more damage they will cause.
6. Rusty Gutters
When your home endures a lot of rain over time, gutters may become rusty. They should be replaced promptly if their metal makeup has rusted.
7. Random Nails, Screws, or Fasteners on the Ground
If you see nails, screws, or fasteners (which hold your gutters onto your roof and keep it level) along the perimeter of your house, your gutters may be so old that they’re about to fall off your home. Have them replaced to keep you and your loved ones well protected, and to safeguard your property from damage.
8. Foundation Damage
The worst possible nightmare that can occur from leaving your gutters to fend for themselves—despite being old, damaged, or faulty—is that your foundation becomes negatively impacted by all the moisture.
When water seeps under your home, it can cause your foundation to shift or crack. The repair job for this type of damage is significant, and the inconvenience to your life throughout the repair is also substantial. This is the primary reason it’s vital to keep your home gutters in good working order, and replace them when needed (without procrastinating!).
9. Separated Gutters
Your gutter system is designed to work together as a continuous channel. If a breach occurs in the system, and your gutter’s pieces are no longer connected to each other, it’s time for gutter replacement.
10. Gutters Pulling Away from Your Roofing
If there is space between your roof and your gutters, you may have rotten fascia boards that need to be replaced along with your new gutter installation.
11. Exterior Paint Peeling
Gutter systems that pull away from your roofing cause water to flow onto your siding and trim. When this happens again and again, over time you’ll notice your exterior paint begins to peel.
12. Gutter Damage from Storms
Fallen tree limbs or damage from ladders can take their toll on your gutters. If your gutter system incurred damage from storms or ladders, it’s likely time to replace them.
13. Seam Stress
If you have gutters with seams, they are vulnerable to stress where the two horizontal sections meet. If they become compromised, water will no longer flow away from your home, but rather straight down to the ground adjacent to your home. It’s time for gutter replacement, and it would be wise to opt for seamless gutters to avoid this problem in the future.
14. Mold and Mildew in Your Basement
When water pools near your home, it finds its way into your basement and can cause unhealthy mold and mildew. Gutter replacement is your best solution in this situation.
15. Rotten Exterior Wood
If your exterior wood elements like window sills and door jambs become saturated with moisture, over time they will begin to rot. You may think the window is the culprit when actually 15 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Home Gutters. Gutters may seem small, but when they stop working properly, they cause extensive problems. So have them replaced at the earliest sign of trouble.
LeafCo’s Guide to Common Gutter Problems
Learn more about all the issues you may face with your gutters in our handy guide.
Read the GuideLearn More about Gutters and Gutter Guard Installation
At LeafCo Gutters, we install Mastic Seamless Aluminum Gutters and specialty gutters such as copper and steel which deliver gorgeous curb appeal, low maintenance, and high performance. Our Klean Gutter Guards keep debris from clogging your gutters, so you get the high performance you deserve. They also protect your gutters, ensuring they perform well over their lifetime.
Take a moment to learn more about gutter options.
