Wondering why your gutters are not draining? Below are the top five most common reasons why.
The primary function of gutters is to direct water away from your home’s foundation and basement. Sometimes, gutters may not drain properly resulting in serious damage to your home.
1. Your gutters are clogged!
Leaves, insects, dirt, and fallen tree branches can often clog your gutters, preventing water from flowing freely. Without proper maintenance and cleaning, your gutters will get completely clogged. Clogged gutters retain debris water, which in turn increases the weight and pressure on the gutters and your home. Over time, the increased weight will result in extensive and expensive damage not only to the gutters themselves but even possibly your siding, soffit, foundation, and basements.
2. The gutters are damaged.
High winds and heavy rains can damage improperly installed gutters. Gutters and troughs that are sagging and pulling away from your home must be inspected by a professional in order to restore the damage and improve the drainage. Depending on the damage, in the worst-case scenario, you will need to reinstall new gutters, if the damage is salvageable you may need to rehang the gutters or reinstall the fasteners holding the gutters in place. Either way gutter repairs are necessary.
3. The gutters are not pitched properly.
Gutter pitch or slope is the angle the gutter system needs to be hanging to ensure that water flows freely through the gutters and into the downpipes. It is possible that your gutters may not be pitched properly. Take a look at the water flow. Is there hardly any water coming from the downspouts? This may mean the slope is not enough to keep water moving downwards. If the water is coming out too fast, like out of a hose this means the slope is too drastic making the rainwater move too quickly, causing your gutters to overflow, possibly sending water down sidings and into cracks in the foundation.
4. The gutter joints are leaking.
Snow, debris, and standing water can force gutter joints apart. The gutter can release out from the connecting joints, resulting in a gutter leak. It will then become necessary to secure the pieces back together. However, if the areas around the gutter joints are corroded or deteriorated, you may need to replace the joints.
5. There is damage from ice formation.
On snowy days gutters catch the snow melting off your roof. If the gutters haven’t had regular maintenance they could be clogged with debris. This debris could form an ice dam. The weight of the ice dam can start pulling the gutter loose, requiring expensive repairs.
Without proper cleaning and maintenance, your gutters are very likely to get clogged and not be able to properly drain. In especially wet regions like the Pacific Northwest, we recommend keeping a close eye on your gutter health to prevent expensive repairs.
Prevention is key! This is why we highly recommend regular maintenance for your gutter system from Royal Gutters.
If you’re looking for professionals to care for your gutter system in Oregon give us a call.
