May 2014 - Gutterman of TN

Signs of Drainage Issues

We are a locally owned full service operation, fully licensed and insured, serving middle Tennessee. If you have an issue with your home’s gutters, The Gutterman is always a phone call away.

Have you ever experienced water leaking into your basement or large puddles of water around your home after a rainstorm? If so, you more than likely have drainage issues, which could result in major damage to the foundation of your home as water is seeping inside and causing expensive repair work. Drainage problems should be addressed as soon as you notice the signs, although some signs are very subtle and can be difficult to spot. The Gutterman would like to educate you on these signs as well as inform you of the economical and simple ways our gutter systems and services can solve these drainage issues.

According to the National Association of Realtors home-improvement website, HouseLogic, while some drainage problem signs are obvious to see, several signals can be easy to miss, so here are the obvious signs as well the ones the professionals look for when spotting sources of drainage issues.

Gushing Gutters

An obvious sign of a drainage problem, overflowing gutters need immediate attention. If you don’t have gushing water, you can check for vertical streaks of dirt on your exterior gutters, mud splatters on your bricks or siding, and paint peeling from your house. The best solution to this problem is to hire a professional like The Gutterman to clean out your gutters and talk about installing a gutter guard system.

Downspouts that Dump

According to HouseLogic, each inch of rain that falls on your roof can produce more than 600 gallons of runoff. If this runoff gets too close to your foundation, you may have a leaky basement or a crumbled foundation. To solve this problem, add gutter extensions to pour out the water at least five feet from the house. The Gutterman recommends the K-Guard Gutter Protection System to keep this from occurring.

Water Stains in the Basement

If you notice any stains in your basement, The Gutterman can come inspect to see if the water is coming from underground or if it is simply surface water that is easier to repair. If surface water is the problem, The Gutterman can fix the clogged gutter that is causing the leaking or advise you on how to slope the soil around your foundation so the runoff will not back up against your home.

Cracks in the Foundation

Most houses’ foundations have small cracks, but if you notice a large crack, keep your eyes on it to see if it grows. If your cracks are stable and have not penetrated all the way through, you can repair them with hydraulic cement or polyurethane caulk. If the cracks continue to widen, it is time to call The Gutterman so he can inspect this drainage issue and see what repairs you should have done.

Mildew in the Attic

You may never have thought to look in your attic for mildew, but a drainage issue can cause mildew to grow on the underside of your roof. If you have water in your basement or crawl space, its moisture rises to your attic and condenses on the underside of your roof. The Gutterman can inspect and solve your basement water problems so you will not end up having to replace your roof shingles and sheathing, a very expensive job.

If you have noticed any of these drainage issue signs, contact The Gutterman today to talk to our staff about the solutions we can provide.

Why Hire a Professional for My Gutters?

Gutter installation and cleaning is not a DIY job. Seek professional assistance from the Gutterman.

There are some key reasons why it is important not to take on gutter cleaning or installation yourself or to hire an amateur to do so. As the leading gutter pros in the Nashville and Middle Tennessee areas, we hope you will take our word for it when we give you the following reasons why you should hire a pro to work on your gutters:

1. So You’ll Stay Safe.

First and foremost, we beseech you to leave your gutters to professionals for safety’s sake. When it comes to scaling tall ladders or rooftops, especially with tools, equipment, and even gutters, you won’t want to take on the liability yourself. We hope we don’t have to warn you how dangerous, even fatal, a fall from a roof can be. It is simply not worth the savings of doing gutter maintenance yourself if you are risking life and limb. Instead find a fully trained, licensed, and insured gutter company or contractor to do the work for you.

2. So Your Gutters Will Hold Up Long-term.

If you don’t want to find your new gutters blown off your house a year from now, we recommend leaving installation to someone who knows precisely how to affix your gutters.

3. So You Won’t Void Your Warranty.

If you’re having new gutters or a gutter guard system installed, you will want to have access to the product warranty should you need it. Our SafeGuard gutter guards, for instance, come with a 20-year no-clog warranty, while our K-Guard system comes with a lifetime no-clog warranty. Should you need to take advantage of that, you won’t want the manufacturer to decide not to honor the warranty because you did a DIY job on your gutter guards all those years ago.

4. So You Can Benefit from a Gutter Man’s Expertise.

A gutter professional will identify problems that are simply not visible to most homeowners. We can also create draining solutions and even suggest creative applications like the use of rain barrels.

The bottom line is that a professional will simply do a better, more thorough job of servicing your gutters because we know how to troubleshoot gutter problems, and we fully understand the purpose and importance of a well-designed gutter system.

If you live in the Nashville area and have questions about your gutters, call The Gutter Man to schedule your gutter inspection.

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