By Scott Murray, Premier Roofing Company
Gutters are the unsung heroes of a building’s water-shedding capability. Though often overlooked and forgotten; a properly sized, installed, and functioning gutter system can make a major difference in a home’s ability to funnel precipitation down and away from the building, preventing large repair bills. How do you know when it’s time to upgrade your gutter system? What signs might indicate gutter issues? Read on to learn more.
Put simply, the biggest sign that you might need a gutter upgrade or reinstallation is water ending up somewhere it shouldn’t. A few examples include:
- Pooling water or wet areas on walkways and/or driveways
This is one of the most common signs of leaking or overflowing gutters and can create icing hazards as well as expensive pavement repairs.
- Fascia board and soffit rotting
Overflowing gutters can allow water to seep into these easily damaged boards.
- Pooling water or saturated ground at the foundation
Pooling water is a hazard for foundation damage or basement leaks.
- Corroded or rusted gutters
Corrosion becomes holes and cracks over time can become unsightly and leads to the symptoms outlined above.
- Pests
Mosquitoes, birds, mice, and more love a breeding ground of pooled water.
If any of these issues are prevalent at your building, it’s likely time to have a roofing and gutter professional evaluate the performance of your system. Like most areas of home maintenance, being proactive with maintaining your gutters can save you much larger headaches down the road.
What are your upgrade options and how can they make a difference? To start with, gutter size (diameter) makes a huge difference in water shedding capability. Larger roof surfaces and steeper slopes shed more water, faster. A professional evaluation can help you determine what gutter size is optimal, usually in the four to six inch range. Gutter material is also a big factor in installation, maintenance, and appearance. The vast majority of gutters are aluminum due to the ease of installation, a clean rust-free look, and lightweight material. Vinyl gutters are also becoming more common as an even lighter, paint-free option. For a luxury touch, homeowners can upgrade to copper gutters which provide a more decorative look and are often longer lasting. Finally - don’t forget about downspouts. There are a variety of sizes and shapes, lengths and extensions, but the general principle is to efficiently direct water away from the building foundation.
Remember, addressing gutter issues and upgrading your system can provide a major savings in the long run, as well as add value to your home. Ask your qualified contractor to review these options with you.
Scott Murray, Business Development Representative, Premier Roofing Company
Premier Roofing specializes in multi-family roofing services for community managers, apartment managers, homeowner’s associations and property management services. Premier was founded in 2005 in Denver, Colorado by two college classmates and has grown to 15 permanent locations across the country.
