4 Common Gutter Problems And The Gutter Repairs You Could Need

Your home's gutters protect your house from water damage that could be expensive to have repaired. However, the gutters have to be in good repair to work properly. Like anything else, gutters can develop problems. Some problems are due to age, animals playing in the troughs, dams created by leaves, or gutters coming loose from the hangers.

Prompt gutter repairs can make your system functional again so your home is protected when it rains. Here are four problems you might have with your gutters and the gutter repairs you might need to have done over the years.

1. Sectional Gutters Come Apart

One reason it's good to invest in seamless gutters is that they have no seams in the troughs that can come apart. Sectional gutters are seamed together with an adhesive that can work loose. When this happens, rain falls through the seam rather than flow out the downspout. A gutter repair service can fix sectional gutters by adding new adhesive to the seams so they bond back together and hold securely.

2. A Trough Develops A Hole

A hole is a bad thing to have in your gutter trough since rain will fall through it. Holes might develop due to rust or an impact. Holes can usually be patched so you don't have to replace the entire gutter trough. The gutter repair service might patch the gutters and seal the area with adhesive so the patch is watertight.

3. The Slope Is Out Of Alignment

The gutter troughs have to be sloped slightly toward the downspout. The slope is not really noticeable when you look at the gutters, but it's enough that rain will flow naturally out of the troughs. If the slope is knocked out of alignment, water will sit in the trough instead of drain. This causes the gutter trough to sag. Eventually, it could cause the gutters to fall off your house.

Troughs can get out of alignment if you put a ladder against the roof wrong or if something heavy, such as a raccoon, starts playing in the gutters. The gutter repair service fixes this problem by putting in new hangers if they're needed and rehanging the trough. Sometimes, hangers get loose, and all that's needed is to tighten them back up.

4. The Downspout Is Clogged Up

A downspout can be a tricky thing to repair since it's enclosed and you can't get to the insides to see what's going on. The gutter repair service might try sticking a long pole into the spout to break up the clog. They might need to remove an elbow from the downspout or partially take the spout apart.

Clogs are usually caused by a big wad of wet leaves that get jammed in the spout. Running water from a pressurized hose might be enough to break the clog apart. They may even use a drain snake that plumbers use to break apart the leaf clog so it will wash through. 

For more info about gutter repair, contact a local company. 

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