10 Signs It’s Time for a Gutter Replacement

If the roof is your home’s main protector against the weather, the guttering is a crucial part of that defence, ensuring that all water is safely conveyed away. Any damage to the gutters or downpipes needs to be repaired at once, but eventually repair won’t be enough and a gutter replacement will be needed.

Signs to Look For

In most of the following cases, isolated damage can be repaired, but if the problem recurs frequently, it’s probably time to look at gutter replacement.

Cracks in the guttering — If cracks are appearing in your gutters and pipes as fast as you can repair them, it’s a sign they’re past their use-by date. Rust spots can be an early sign on metal pipes, though this isn’t an issue if you’ve used UPVC.
Gutters pulling away from the roof — If this is happening on a regular basis, the fascias may be rotting. This could mean you need both guttering and fascias
Breaks in the seams — Gutters are made in segments that fit together, but if the seams are constantly pulling apart it’s time for a replacement.
Sagging gutters — You can see from the ground if your gutters aren’t level, and this could result in the water not running off. It could also suggest that the gutter wasn’t designed for the amount of water it’s dealing with.
Nails or screws on the ground — If you keep finding nails or screws that seem to have come from the guttering, this means it isn’t securely fixed.
Water marks on the wall — Marks on the walls caused by water running down them suggests the water isn’t being routed down the pipes. This is easiest to make out in dry weather.
Peeling paint — External paint will eventually peel with age, but if it’s happening extensively it could also be a sign of water leaking from the gutters.
Rotting woodwork — Woodwork such as the surrounds for doors and windows will rot if it’s wet too much of the time. This again may well be caused by leaking guttering.
Water pooling on the ground — Rain falls evenly, but if you get pools straight below the walls, it could be caused by faulty gutters.
Damp or mildew in the foundations or basement — Again, this may be caused by leaking guttering, and can have serious implications for the building’s integrity.