No homeowner ever wants to deal with water damage. Even a fairly small amount of water can cause very expensive problems. If you want to avoid ever having to deal with home water damage, one of the best things you can do is take good care of your gutters. Since gutters are intended to direct water away from your home’s foundation, they’re an important line of defense against water damage.
To keep your gutters in good shape, the best thing you can do is have them cleaned at least once a year, or twice if there are a lot of trees near your home. But if you’re noticing other problems with your gutters, what can you do to fix them?
Gutters That Pull Away From Your Home
Added weight from clogged gutters often causes the gutters to sag or pull away from your home, but it’s not the only thing that can cause this to happen. This can also happen if your gutters aren’t being supported by enough hangers/fasteners or if the hangers/fasteners attaching them to your home have become worn over time. New gutter hangers and fasteners can be purchased very inexpensively from any hardware store.
Improperly Pitched Gutters
If you’re not seeing much water coming out of your downspout during a rainfall or see standing water in your gutters, your gutters are not pitched correctly and their placement needs to be adjusted. Gutters that have been installed correctly should slope down toward the downspout a quarter of an inch for every ten feet they run. If this isn’t taken care of, the standing water can cause gutters to rust through and cause leaks. Many homeowners prefer to hire a professional to reposition their gutters, but you can absolutely do it yourself. All you have to do is measure the slope from the peak to the downspout, use chalk to outline how your gutters should slope, and adjust your gutters accordingly.
Gutters That Leak
A gutter that leaks is an extremely easy problem to solve. If water is leaking from a joint in your gutters, all you need is some silicone-rubber caulk to fill in the gap. Small holes can be patched up with roofing cement or gutter sealant. If you have a larger hole, you’ll need to patch it up with a piece of metal. Gutter patching kits are very easy to find at hardware stores, but you can also use a piece of metal flashing to patch up the hole.
Downspouts Draining Too Close to Foundation
Downspouts should be set to drain water a few feet away from your home’s foundation to prevent flooding and other water damage. If your downspouts are too close to your home, all you have to do is get some downspout extenders. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can easily help you prevent thousands of dollars in water damage.
