Fixing Gutters Easily
Maintaining gutters is the most important thing you can do to prevent water damage to your home. Gutters are designed to channel water away from the foundation of your home, they’re critical in protecting the structural integrity of the home, but in order for gutters to work properly, they need to be kept and maintained. Most gutter problems are common easy fixes for home owners, to avoid ever having an issue be sure to routinely maintain and inspect your homes gutters to prevent a bigger problem down the line.
Below are some common gutter problems and the recommended solutions.
Clogged Gutters
Clogged gutters are the most common issue homeowners face, when gutters are left untended they can become clogged to the point that they’re actually useless. The weight of leaves, twigs, and standing water can also make them pull away from the fascia. It’s important you clean your gutters at least once a year, twice if you have an abundance of trees nearby, with additional checks after big storms.
If you don’t feel comfortable on a ladder to clean your gutters yourself, you can hire someone to do the job for you for about $50-$250, depending on the size of your home. If you aren’t afraid of getting up there, and don’t mind getting wet and dirty, clear the muck and flush the gutters with a garden hose to make sure they’re flowing properly.
You can also get gutter covers to better help keep yours clean, they include mesh screens, clip on grates, and porous foam. Even with these in place you will still need regular maintenance, but it will help you at the end of the day.
Sagging Gutters & Gutters Pulling Away from the House
Over time hangers and hardware that secure your gutters have probably deteriorated, the fasteners may have backed out of the wood or they’re spaced too far apart and can no longer support the weight of the full gutters. Don’t worry though, fixing this yourself is cheap, hangers usually cost about $10 or less, the fasteners about $1 each.
Leaks & Holes
Leaky gutters can be sealed by caulking the joint from inside the gutter with sealant. A tube usually costs about $5, smaller holes can be filled with gutter sealant, larger holes will require a patch.
Improperly Pitched Gutters
Gutters must be pitched toward the downspouts to allow the water to flow properly, you want to have at least a quarter inch of slope for every 10 feet. Check your gutters after a storm, if there’s standing water that means it’s not pitched properly.
In order to fix this yourself, measure from the peak to the downspout, snap a chalk line between the two and find the spots where the gutter is not aligned. You may be able to simply push it back into place by bending the hanger, if that doesn’t work, you may need to take a section down and rehang it. If you have seamless gutters, call the company that installed them to correct the problem.
Downspouts Draining Too Close to the Foundation
Downspouts should extend several feet from the house, otherwise they could potentially dump right into your basement. Gutter extensions attach to the bottom of the downspout, discharging the water far beyond the foundation, they’re relatively easy to install and inexpensive, costing less than $20 per downspout.
Missing Gutters
If your home has no gutters, you should consider investing in a system. Depending on the material used you could spend anywhere from $800-$1,500. Most gutters are aluminum, they’re lightweight and durable, vinyl, galvanized steel, and copper are also available options.
We hope you found this post helpful when checking on your gutters this spring! Remember for all of your household waste needs, whether you’re doing a clean out or a home renovation and need to get rid of the mess, call us at Waste Solutions 123! We can provide you with an affordable dumpster rental for you, no matter your location, call us today for a free quote!
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