Guttering Issues? 5 Signs Your Gutters Need Repair or Replacement

Your guttering does much more than provide a neat border around the roof. It plays a vital role in ensuring that the water falling on your roof runs safely into the drain, instead of getting into the foundations or running down the walls.

Like any part of the structure, though, the gutters and downpipes can develop faults. If they’re not fixed, the water can weaken the foundations or lead to mould growing. So, what are the signs that your gutters need repair or replacement?

1. Visible Cracks and Splits

Sometimes, you can see at a glance that your guttering is broken. Even if the damage seems very minor, it can quickly expand, especially in cold weather when plastic guttering can freeze and crack.

If you don’t get damaged guttering repaired as soon as you see it, you risk water seeping into the roof space or the walls. This could turn minor damage into something far more serious.

2. Gutters Sagging or Pulling Away

Even if they’re not broken, gutters that are sagging or pulling away from the fascia board can’t do their job properly. This will lead to water spilling out and getting into the roof, walls or foundations.

The problem might be caused by excessive water running off, or else by the weight of debris building up in the gutters. They’ll need to be either replaced or else cleaned out and refastened, to keep them working correctly.

3. Water Pooling on the Ground

If you find water pooling on the ground, this could be the result of faulty guttering. Besides standing water, it may take the form of soggy ground or soil erosion and could lead to rising damp or even subsidence.

Although there are other possible reasons, this situation is most likely caused by guttering that’s broken or blocked, or else not pitched correctly. Whichever is the case, it needs to be repaired or replaced urgently, in order to prevent serious damage.

4. Mould or Damp Patches

While mould or damp inside the house can have various causes, it’s usually faulty guttering that causes these problems on outside walls. Water running down the walls, instead of the downpipes, can lead to staining or peeling paint, or else to growths of mould or algae.

While these are unsightly and (in the case of mould) hazardous to health, they’re also signs that water has penetrated the building’s structure. You’ll need to repair or replace the guttering, as well as put the existing damage right, in order to avoid worse trouble.

5. Gutter Blockages

All gutters tend to get blocked, especially in the autumn when falling leaves are blown into them, or in any windy weather where twigs and other debris are blown around. This can prevent the water from flowing through the guttering system, leading to overflows.

Your guttering needs to be cleaned on a regular basis, but if the problem is occurring more often than usual, it could be a sign that your gutters are too small or incorrectly aligned.

Why You Need a Professional Roofer

It might seem that you can repair your own guttering if you’re reasonably good at DIY, but there are good reasons to use a professional roofer. A DIY job is likely to be incorrectly aligned or otherwise imperfect, which means fixing it regularly on an ongoing basis.

An experienced professional roofer, on the other hand, will do an expert job, so that your guttering should last for years with nothing more than cleaning. Give Empire a call to find out how we can take good care of all parts of your roof, including the gutters.