Although rain gutters are very useful, they can also be the cause of many problems. If they are not properly maintained, there are strong chances that they will develop problems requiring repairs. One of the professionals included on this list can help you with the various repairs that may be needed.
Overflowing and clogged rain gutters
Clogged rain gutters that overflow is one of the typical problems you can encounter. The water that overflows can easily rise up to the roof or fall close to the foundations, often causing water infiltration. Furthermore, a rain gutter overburdened with the weight of its contents can often pull away from the fascia boards and warp.
If it's not too late, a professional may suggest to clean out your eavestroughs and have gutter protection installed in order to prevent this type of situation from recurring. However, overflowing can also be due to an insufficient number of downspouts or to eavestroughs that are too small for the residence. It is therefore recommended to consult a specialist, who will be able to help you find the appropriate solution.
Over time, and especially with the weight of snow, rain gutters tend to sag if they were not installed using continuous hangers. If such is the case, it is possible to ask a rain gutter installer to add spikes or hangers in the spots requiring reinforcement. Unfortunately, in certain cases, you will need to change the eavestrough completely as the damage may be too severe.
With the freezing and thawing of ice in the rain gutter system, cracks can develop in the various joints. It is important to call upon an Alu-Rex professional in order to properly caulk these holes and keep your rain gutters functional.
Although the normal slope of eavestroughs should be at least ¼ inch (0.64 cm) over 10 feet (3.05 m) of eavestrough, this is not always the case. To drain water efficiently, the slope must be graded enough to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water. A specialist can correct this problem to allow efficient drainage of rain water.
When the water drained to the downspouts flows out too close to the foundations, the risk of infiltration is high. Thus, it is important to ensure that the grade of the ground directs the water away from the house, over a distance of at least 4-5 feet (1.22 m to 1.52 m) from the foundations. Using a downspout extension is an easy, quick and inexpensive way to solve this situation.
Certain situations are so severe that they cannot be solved with a simple repair. The professional installers on this list will thus suggest that you replace your rain gutters in order to remedy these problems. Here are a few things to watch for which will indicate that your rain gutters need to be replaced, and not repaired:
Sometimes, when the pitch of the roof is very steep, the eavestroughs need to be wider than standard rain gutters, or else more (or larger) downspouts need to be installed. The most blatant indication of this problem is when the rain gutters are not obstructed and yet they are not sufficient to contain the volume of water running off the roof. It is important to correct this situation as water that overflows from the eavestroughs can cause water seeping into the roof or foundations.
When the slope of the eavestrough is no longer efficient enough to direct the water to the downspouts, it is a serious problem as the gutter system no longer performs as it should. Sometimes the gutter spikes or hangers pull out under the weight of snow, which makes the eavestrough sag forward. If the eavestroughs are too warped, they won't be re-usable, and they will have to be replaced. When the new eavestroughs are installed, a continuous hanger system will greatly contribute to preventing the situation from recurring.
If the rain gutter system was clogged for an extended period of time, water may have risen up toward the roof and rotted the fascia board, which undermines the fastening of the eavestrough. Over time, the eavestrough will sag forward and overflow near the foundations. You will then need to replace the fascia board, the eaves fascia, and install new rain gutters.
Nails often end up rusting from being in contact with rain water. It is therefore preferable to secure the rain gutter using screw-in hangers or a continuous hanger to avoid rust showing on the outside.
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