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Common Gutter Problems

Gutters don’t get the credit they deserve for protecting homes from water damage. When gutters fail, however, homeowners quickly realize how important they are. When your gutters fail, your roofing, soffit, and fascia can rot and mold; your doors, windows and siding can stain and deteriorate; your landscaping can get washed away, and your basement can flood. That’s why it’s best to keep failing gutters at bay. By watching for these common gutter problems, and making sure they get fixed ASAP, you can save yourself from some serious home-repair headaches.Common Gutter Problems - Nashville TN - Gutterman of TN

Clogged Gutters

If there’s one most common gutter problem, it’s clogged gutters. When you fail to clear away your gutters regularly, clogs can form. Even if you clean your gutters regularly, an animal or bird can enter the gutter and build a nest or leave behind a mess and cause a clog. When clogged gutters remain unchecked, you’ll see a host of other gutter problems, which can include sagging gutters, ice dams, and overflowing gutters.

Separating Gutters

The most common types of gutters used in the United States are aluminum gutters, which are put together in sections along your home. Over time, these gutters can separate at the seams. When the separation is significant enough, water will pour through the seams and deposit along the foundation of your home, rather than traveling through the gutters and safely away from your home.

Sagging Gutters

Over time, the supports that secure your gutters to your home can begin to fail. Additionally, ice dams or debris trapped in your gutters can add too much weight for those supports to bear. When this happens, your gutters will sag. Not only will sagging gutters make your home look run down, but they will allow water to tip out of the gutters near your home’s foundation.

Ice Dams

In colder weather, ice dams can become a problem on the edge of your roof. Believe it or not, ice dams actually can be a gutter problem. Ice dams form when the snow on top of your roof melts from the heat in your attic. As the water from the snow runs down toward the edges of your roof and gutters, where the temperature is cooler, it refreezes and can form very large ice dams. Ice dams can damage your gutter system and your roof. Often, ice dams form because your gutters can’t whisk water away from your roofline quickly enough due to clogs, debris or other problems.

Improper Installation

Your gutters might have been improperly installed if they appear in good condition to the untrained eye. Improper pitch, improper size or downspouts that empty to close to your home are all common gutter installation problems that can prevent gutters from doing their job.

While all too common, these gutter problems shouldn’t be ignored. They can cause major problems — and major damage — in and around your home. That’s why these gutter problems would be evaluated by a professional. If you notice signs of these common gutter problems, call The Gutterman of TN to schedule an appointment today! We’ll evaluate your gutters and do what’s needed to have your gutters working to protect your home from water damage.

Clear Out Your Gutters Before Cold Weather Hits

By now, the trees have dropped all of their leaves: Have you cleared out your gutters yet? To avoid problems with your gutters,  roof, or basement — clean out your gutters now! Do this before temperatures drop and water freezes for the winter.Clear Out Your Gutters Before Cold Weather - Nashville TN - Gutterman

Why you need clean gutters for the winter:

While keeping gutters clear is always crucial to preventing flooding or damage to your roof, walls, basement, landscaping and foundation, clean gutters become even more important in winter. That’s because clogged gutters prevent water from passing properly through the gutters. In warm weather, that can cause gutters to overflow. In cold weather, however, that water can freeze in the gutters and cause even more damage, including:

  • Icicles.
    When clogged gutters overflow in freezing temperatures, major icicles can result. Icicles might seem innocent enough, or even picturesque, but they can serve as a hazard. They may cause gutters to sag away from the house due to the added weight of the ice.
  • Ice dams.
    The most serious problem that results from clogged gutters in the winter is ice dams. Ice dams form on the edges of your roof when the snow on your rooftop melts because of the warm air in your attic. As the water hits the colder edges of the roofline, and can’t enter the gutters because of clogging, the water freezes and can form massive ice formations that can damage your roof or your home structure.
  • Gutter and roof damage.
    Anytime you invite water and ice to build up around your gutters and your roofline, you invite the opportunity for damage and mold. Clogged gutters can force water back up under your roof, where it can damage the roof structure or the wooden supports of your home, or cause mold or mildew to develop. The weight of the ice on your gutters and roof can cause buckling, cracking and other damage.

Keep your gutters flowing this winter with gutter guards:

There is one simple solution to preventing the buildup of ice in your gutters and on your rooftop due to clogged gutters: Gutter guards! Gutter guards prevent debris from entering your gutter and causing clogs that stop water from flowing freely through your gutters. At The Gutterman of TN, we install SafeGuard Gutter Guards. With SafeGuard Gutter Guards, the unique steel mesh that tops the gutters prevents any clog-forming debris from finding its way into your gutters so your gutters keep flowing all year long.

To keep your gutters and your home safe from damage due to ice dams and icicles, make sure you clean all of the leaves and debris out of your gutters before temperatures drop below freezing and the snow begins to fall. If you want to make this fall the last fall you have to clean out your gutters to prevent wintertime damage, call The Gutterman of TN to ask about installing SafeGuard Gutter Guards on your new or existing gutters.