It can be frustrating to look out your window and see water pouring from a gutter rather than being directed through it and away from your home. Those leaky gutters can be more than an annoyance: They can cause expensive damage to your home if they’re not taken care of.
Some of the many problems that can be caused by leaking gutters include:
• Rot. Water running from your gutters can cause many of your home’s components to rot away or become warped from water damage, including your fascia, roof, siding and decks or porches.
• Pooling water around your home’s base. When gutters fail to direct water away from your home’s foundation, it allows water to pool around your home’s foundation. At the very least, that can cause flooding in your basement, but it can cause major problems, such as mold growth, foundation cracks and even foundation collapse.
• Landscape damage. Water rushing from your gutters into your landscape can kills plants or wash away soil, rocks or other landscape features.
• Detached gutters. Leaking gutters can become so damaged that they can detach completely from your house, damaging your roof, fascia or siding, and causing a hazard to your car, pets or anyone standing nearby.
• Stains. When water runs down the side of your home, or across your driveway or patio, it can cause unsightly stains to form on your siding, walkways or concrete surfaces.
• Standing water. If your gutters are completely blocked, that can lead to standing water within your gutters. Standing water can create ice dams in the winter, cause gutters to overflow, or it can give mosquitos a place to breed, causing a major infestation near your home.
How to spot gutter leaks
It can be beneficial to examine your gutters each spring after a heavy rainfall. Take a walk around your home and look for areas where water is pouring or dripping from gutters, rather than diverting to downspouts. Take an especially careful look at the joints between the downspouts and the rest of the gutters or other seams in the gutters, as those areas are most vulnerable to developing leaks. Another sign you may have leaking gutters is sudden flooding in your basement or along exterior walls of your home or staining on the sides of your home or on the concrete underneath your gutters.
What to do about leaking gutters
As we’ve demonstrated, leaking gutters can cause extensive damage to your home that can be frustrating and expensive to fix. If you notice a leak in your gutters, don’t hesitate to call The Gutterman of Tennessee. We can inspect the leak and recommend the best course of action for repairing or replacing your gutters. Most importantly, don’t delay having your leaking gutters repaired! A minor repair cost now can save you from a major expense and a major home improvement problem later.
Replacing the roof on your home is an expensive project. When you choose a roofer, you want to be confident you’re hiring a reliable, cost-effective contractor who will do the job right. We’ve compiled our best tips for finding the best roofing contractor for the job.
Seek referrals
Don’t just look through the phone book or perform an Internet search for a roofing contractor in your area. Talk to family, friends and coworkers about roofers they have personal experience with. If you can’t find a referral from a friend, ask at the local lumberyard or contact the local builders association. Try to find two to three contractors to consider for the job.
Do your homework
Once you find a few contractors to investigate, look up their background. It’s wise to choose a contractor who has been in business for at least five years. It shows that they’re stable, they likely do work that leaves customers satisfied and they’ll still be in business if you have a problem. Check with the Better Business Bureau and consumer groups like Angie’s List for reviews and to be sure the company hasn’t had any complaints filed against them.
Get references
Ask the companies for references and drive by other home’s they’ve roofed. Check to see that the shingles are evenly spaced and lined up. Shingles should be trimmed neatly along the roof’s valleys, and any flashings should be tar free. When you speak to the homeowners, ask if they would use the roofer again, if they’ve had any problems with leaks, if the project stayed on budget, if the roofer damaged property and if there was a foreman overseeing the project who they could turn to with any questions or concerns.
Ask for a quote
Get at least two quotes from contractors who have checked out through the previous three steps. While getting the quote, ask good questions, such as how they will remove trash from the property, how they will protect your landscaping, whether they are insured and what the guarantee on the work is. Contractors should be insured for at least $1 million, and while the shingle manufacturer will have a long-term guarantee on the materials, ask about guarantees for the contractor’s work on flashing and against leaks. There should be at least a one year guarantee, though two to three years is preferable.
Sign a contract
Once you choose your roofer, get the details of the project written down and sign an official contract. The contract should list the budget and guarantee on the contractor’s work. There also should be a price for the cost of replacing plywood, if needed, during the course of the reroofing. Some contractors will charge an exorbitant amount for replacing rotten plywood if a cost wasn’t agreed upon in the contract.
Consider The Gutterman!
If you’re looking for a roofer, call The Gutterman! We’re confident that we’ll be able to meet what you’re looking for in a roofing project and provide you with a beautiful, leak free roof that will be a well-placed investment in your home.
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