It is that time of year again. Soon, many of us will work harder at starting anew, crossing all of those to-dos off our list, and cleaning out to make way for the year to come. If it has been a while since you have handled home maintenance – specifically your gutters – it should be the first thing to pay attention to. How are your gutters performing? Here are signs that it might be time to upgrade.
Rust and Corrosion
Gutters put up with a lot of outdoor abuse from rain and frost cycles. Depending on the material, there is a good chance – especially in South Carolina – that your gutters and hardware have corrosive rust that can cause them to break. If you notice that the joints are fragile or broken in multiple places, it is probably better to get new gutters than to try to repair them.
Dents or Cracks
Gutters are specifically made to guide water away from your home’s foundation. But if there are dents or cracks in them, they will not be able to keep up with the demands of a heavy storm. Over time, those dents will only become worse and lead to the flow stopping. When that happens, the water will spill out over the top and fall directly below where the dents and cracks are. If you have a gutter system with seams, then you might be able to replace just the broken sections. But if there are a lot of spots where it is happening, it may be cheaper to pay for new ones.
Pulling Away From the House
Gutters are not meant to hold a lot of weight. If you allow dirt and debris to build up in your gutters without cleaning them, the weight might be too much. When gutters are full and heavy, they will start to sag and pull away from the house. Depending on the affected number of gutters, you may or may not be able to just repair sections. If you let it go too long, it might be a better idea to just tear the gutters off and start fresh.
You Want to Upgrade
If your gutters are aging and starting to show a lot of wear and tear, then you might want to consider upgrading and replacing them. Seamless gutters are an excellent investment. They don’t have seams that you have to worry about rusting or cracking. Seamless gutters are made from one piece and pre-cut to custom-fit your home. If you are going to get a new gutter system, seamless is the way to go.
bygutterboyzsc, P. (2021, December 23). Four reasons you need new gutters. Gutter Boyz | Seamless Gutter Experts | Charleston SC. Retrieved June 6, 2022, from https://www.gutterboyzsc.com/four-reasons-replace-gutters/
