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6 Common Gutter Problems And How To Fix Them

Depending on how bad your gutter problem is, you might be on the hook for damage to your neighbor’s property as a result. Putting off gutter repair and replacement is not something you want to do. Especially given more extreme weather events.

It doesn’t matter if you’re having half-round, K-style, or box gutter problems, we’re going to share with you the 6 most common gutter problems and how to solve them. If you want to save a lot of money in the future, you’ll want to take this advice seriously.

Let’s look at why you need to maintain your home’s gutters and how you can do it.

Cleaning Gutters

Why Do I Need to Fix My Gutters?

The gutters around your roof are easily one of the most important, but often underappreciated elements on a commercial or residential property.

When you properly care for and maintain your guttering, you provide excellent rainwater drainage and ultimately protect your roof–and if you have neighbours, their yards–from water infiltration.

However, if you neglect to do so, you are inviting a lot of problems to the exterior and interior of your property.

Poor gutter installation or maintenance can lead to:

  • Gutters overflowing into the house causing mould or damage to your living space.
  • Damage to roofing components like your tiles, shingles, soffits, and fascia.
  • Destruction to the foundations of your property like rafters, roof deck, and basement load bearers

Gutters are designed to do one thing for your property: channel water off of your roof and to a larger drainage system. There are a number of things that can get in the way of gutters doing their job.

Here are 6 common half-round, K-style, or box gutter problems and fixes:

Mixing a cup of baking soda and white vinegar and pouring it slowly down the drain. Pour boiling water down the drain to kill the growing bacteria and loosen any object stuck in there.

Clogged Gutters - House Gutter Cleaning

Clogged gutters are by far the most common problem faced on every type of property.

Over time, gutters will inevitably fill with dirt, leaves, general debris, and even insects which can make it impossible to drain gutters.

Buildings with overhanging, leafy trees are particularly prone to clogged gutters.

If you don’t regularly clean your gutters, this build-up will only accumulate and cause problems. Rarely do you need to hire a professional for house gutter cleaning; maybe for larger properties. Simply use a ladder and carefully unclog the entirety of your gutter.

Clogged Gutters - House Gutter Cleaning

Leaking gutters are another common problem on all properties. The most frequent causes of leaking gutters are loose fasteners, cracks, and holes. You can do the inspection yourself, but you may need to hire a professional to do the repair or replacement.

In any case, when gutter leaks develop and aren’t solved right away, they can lead to a lot more damage in the future.

Clogged Gutters - House Gutter Cleaning

A gutter joint separation is one of the most common gutter problems faced by those who do not take the time to care for and maintain their roof. 

When gutters become clogged, aged, deteriorated, or even simply improperly installed, they may begin to pull away and separate from the fascia boarding or other parts of your roof.

When gutter joint separation occurs, this leaves a vulnerable area for water to damage walls, siding, other parts of the gutter, fascia, and your roofing materials.

A safety inspection will usually yield the cause of the joint separation. It might be as simple as unclogging your gutter to relieve the added weight by pulling it away

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Back-Flows

Gutter backflow occurs when rainwater draining from the roof edge runs under the roof or behind the gutters, instead of into the gutter troughs.

Back-flow in your gutter troughs can be caused by clogged gutters, poorly situated gutters, and improperly installed flashing around the gutters.

If you find that your gutters are overflowing or suffering from backflows, as soon as it is safe to do so, take a look. It might be difficult to assess whether or not the problem is the flashing, so you’ll likely need to contact a professional contractor.

Improperly Installed Downspouts

Downspouts are designed to carry the water from gutter troughs down to the ground where it can run off to a larger drainage system.

If downspouts drain water too close to the building, this can result in pooling water and damage to the foundations of your property.

Downspouts need to extend several metres away from your property. You can do this with gutter extensions or additional downspout material.

Poor Sloping - How to Fix Gutter Slope

In order for water to flow properly from the roof, gutters need to be sloped, angled, and pitched correctly. If the pitch of your gutters is inaccurate, water will collect in problem areas and be prevented from draining properly.

Poor gutter pitching and sloping will eventually lead to rainwater pooling, spilling over the sides, and damaging the roof. If you’re not sure if your gutters are pitched properly, when it’s safe to do so, take a look yourself. If there’s stagnant water, your gutters are not adequately angled to successfully drain rainwater.

It’s best to contact a professional when adjusting the position of your entire gutter.

Metal Roof Gutter Problems

Metal roof guttering is a popular choice because metal materials are sleek, durable, and weather resistant. However, there are some common metal roof gutter problems that are unique to metal guttering. For instance, some metal roof gutters may be susceptible to rust, which can cause significant damage and deterioration to surround roofing materials

Certain metals may be more prone to corrosion, damage, or separating from the fascia board and roofing materials. If you already have or choose to buy metal gutters, be aware of these added considerations. Whatever you choose to do when fixing your gutter problems, please do it safely.

If you’re not sure if you need a professional, ask a professional.

We are the best providers of roofing and gutter cleaning services throughout New South Wales so please don’t hesitate to call our trusted team of roof and gutter experts. We’re here to help

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