Five Signs That You Need New Rain Gutters

by Gabby Hyman

Uncontrolled run-off water from rain and melting snow can damage your home. When rain gutters are improperly installed or defective, running water can destroy your landscaping, dampen and damage your walls and ceilings, flood your basement, crack your concrete slab, or erode your stucco. Even properly installed vinyl or steel gutters (with seams or seamless models) eventually need replacement. Here are five signs that it may be time to protect your investment and call a gutter company.

Rust
Rust can turn up in a big way, or reveal itself as minute orange specs on the surface of your gutters. Get a ladder and have a close look at the finish on your gutters. Check the seams and look for leaks. Rust typically shows up there first. Remember, if there's rust on the outside, you can be pretty sure the gutters are rusting on the inside, too. It's only a matter of time before they crack and leak.

Cracking
While you're on the ladder, inspect for cracks and fissures. Cracks can open up quickly in poor weather. If your gutter company failed to use an adequate amount of downspout clips, you might see cracks or leaks along the spouts.

Water Damage
Examine the paint on both exterior and interior walls directly beneath gutters and downspouts. Dark stains in the paint reveal greater damage underneath the surface.

Gaps
If rain gutters have separated from their sections or end caps, they'll continue to pull away from your home until you really have problems.

Cracked or Chipped Paint
Peeling paint is an unavoidable sign that your rain gutters need attention. Water leaks are the usual culprits and once the paint goes, your gutters really begin to deteriorate.

Gutter Clogs and Backups
If you have standing water in your gutter, there may be a clog. It can also be a sign that the gutter company did a poor job of installing them with the correct alignment for proper drainage. If you're lucky, the clog is simply a build up of material at the downspout that you can flush out. However, if the gutter has buckled and creates a bottleneck, call for help.

Source:
HomeTips

About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.