Overflowing gutters can damage your home’s siding, rot the fascia boards, or even flood basements. To protect your budget against expensive water damage repairs, invest in preventative gutter maintenance and call an experienced gutter repair contractor when necessary. Below, you will learn about the five ways you should prevent damage from overflowing gutters.
Clean Gutters and Downspouts
As part of regular gutter maintenance, your gutters can become weighed down over time by leaves, pine needles, twigs, pollen, and other outdoor debris. This is why gutter maintenance includes cleaning your gutters at least twice a year. If you have pine trees near your house, you’ll want to increase your gutter maintenance schedule to four times a year, since evergreens shed heavily.
When gutters are filled with debris, water can’t flow properly away from your home. Prevent overflow issues by performing seasonal gutter maintenance in the spring and fall, when pollen levels rise and leaves fall.
After cleaning the gutters, flush them with a hose. If water doesn’t drain through the downspouts, it could indicate a clog. Use a high-pressure water sprayer or plumbing snake to clear blockages and complete your gutter maintenance routine effectively.
Install Gutter Guards
As the name suggests, gutter guards prevent large outdoor debris from finding its way into your gutter system. However, most gutter guard systems cannot prevent needles of pine and other small debris from getting into your gutters. While you will still be responsible for inspecting and cleaning your gutters at least twice a year, the gutter guards will prevent the majority of outdoor debris from collecting in the first place.
Install the Right Size Gutter System
Gutters can sometimes overflow if the gutter system is too small for the slope and size of the roof. If you suspect your home’s gutter system is not the right size to handle roof runoff, we recommend contacting a reputable gutter system contractor as soon as possible.
Install Splash Guards
If the roof valleys are too steep, rainwater might not be able to flow into the gutters without splashing over the sides. Over time this splashing can cause water damage to your home unless you install gutter splash guards.
You or a professional gutter system installer will position the precut splash guards at the bottom of each roof valley. Next, you will drill holes in the splash guard and gutter before placing rivets into each hole. Finally, you’ll need to fasten the rivets to secure the gutter splash guard properly. Splash guard installation is an easy DIY project that should only take 20 minutes.
Inspect Gutters for Tilt and Slope
As part of regular gutter maintenance, lay a level across the mouth of the gutters to check for proper tilt. Gutter maintenance is essential because gutters can overflow if they are tilting forward or backward. Additionally, the slope of the gutter runs should be inspected to ensure water flows smoothly toward the downspouts without pooling or splashing.
If you are interested in our gutter repair and installation service, please feel free to give us a call. Our Rockford roofing contractors are experts in gutter maintenance and repairs. The Comstock Park gutter repair contractors at Professional Home Improvement are dedicated to helping homeowners protect their homes with expert gutter maintenance and exterior care.
Ready to Transform Your Home?
At Professional Home Improvements, we offer a wide range of expert services — from roofing and siding to window installation, gutter solutions, and full kitchen or bathroom remodels. No matter the size of your project, our experienced team is here to deliver quality craftsmanship you can rely on.
Whether you’re planning a small upgrade or a complete home renovation, we have the skills and materials to bring your vision to life.
Brands We Work With
At Professional Home Improvements, we believe in using only the highest quality materials from trusted industry-leading brands. These manufacturers provide durable, energy-efficient, and stylish products that ensure long-lasting results for our clients.
We proudly work with the following brands:
- CertainTeed – https://www.certainteed.com/
- Mastic by Ply Gem – https://mastic.plygem.com/
- Weather Shield – https://weathershield.com/
- Alside – https://www.alside.com/
- Quality Edge – https://qualityedge.com/
