4 Things To Look For To Avoid Storm Damage Caused By Gutter Leaks

9/28/2020 (Permalink)

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Gutter Leaks Can Cause Property Damage

When you have gutter leaks to your home, you place your property at risk for storm damage. The best way that we have found to reduce storm damage is by scheduling a roof and gutter systems inspection three times a year. An inspection will reduce the chances of a leak or water damage from entering your home. 

When your gutters begin to leak, they are no longer doing the job they were intended to do. Heavy rainfall can cause storm damage to your home when rainfall is not effectively flowing out the downspouts and away from your property. 

In this blog post, we will go over how faulty gutters have caused storm damage. 

Here are the common causes of gutter leaks: 

1) Clogged Gutters

If you have recently witnessed your gutters are overflowing, most likely, you have clogged gutters. Gutters are not designed to handle the weight of wet debris (Sticks, leaves) and standing water. The excess weight will cause seams to fail, leaving the gutters to sag and pull away from your home. The most common way to avoid clogged gutters is by investing in gutter guards that will only allow water to enter the gutter system. For those who are not interested in investing in gutter guards, the other option is manually going on the roof and cleaning the gutters. 

2) Loose Gutters

Another common cause for a gutter leak is loose gutters. A loose gutter will cause your gutters to pull away or fall off your home. When the gutters are not secure to the house, water will run between the gutter and the roof’s edge, causing potential water damage to your home. To fix this issue, you need to hire a construction professional to fasten the home's gutters tightly to the fascia board. A more significant problem will be if the fascia board is rotting because even the strongest fasteners won't secure the gutters. No matter how your gutters are attached to your home, you need to check the fasteners' security as part of the quarterly home inspection.

3) Old Aged Gutters

Although SERVPRO has seen leaks that have occurred from new gutters, it’s far more common for older aged gutters to leak. Aging gutters will cause deterioration to the sealants that hold the gutters together. In older gutters, you will most likely find a hole that causes leaks. The easiest fix is to use a silicone waterproof sealant to close up the hole causing leaks. The sealant will allow your gutters' lives to last longer but be cautious because once one problem occurs, others arise. 

4) Improperly Sloped Gutters

Gutters need to be installed at the proper slope to function effectively. Installing at the right slope will allow the proper water flow to run down the slope and head out the downspout. An improper slope will cause the gutters to snag over time, typically from water pools and debris in the gutters. Contact a contractor to check the slope of your gutters and adjust them as necessary.

Conclusion

SERVPRO of Downtown Atlanta can help you with all of your storm damage restoration needs. We have cleaned up the most severe damages caused by leaking gutters. To make the job easier, we have a construction division ready to help you secure your gutters and perform any necessary insurance repairs on your home. 

Call us at (404) 835-0200.

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