Overflowing gutters
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When leaves, twigs, pine needles, or silt build up in your gutters they can stop the flow of water or block the downspout opening from draining. The water has no place to go so the gutters start to overflow. This can not only create annoying sounds, but it also can cause damage to your home (warp or rotted fascia board and rafters, infiltrate your foundation, washout your flowers and landscape, cause mud splashing on your stucco or siding, damage doors and windows) Wet debris sitting in your gutters for sustained periods of time can and will usually rot or rust your gutters.
This can be avoided simply by cleaning your gutters 1-2 times a year. If you don't mind getting up on a ladder and doing a little hard work its quite easy to do yourself. You will want some gloves, a small hand shovel or trowel, and a bucket or container to scoop the debris into. Simply work your way around your home cleaning your gutters in sections. Be sure to pay close attention to your downspouts, they are the key to proper drainage. It is a good idea to flush the gutters and downspouts with a hose to assure that your system is clean and free of debris. If you would rather not do this work yourself, Call A-Plus Gutter Systems and we will come out to your home and give your gutters a full tune up. |
Broken seams, sagging gutters, or loose fasteners
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When your rain gutters begin to come apart or start detaching themselves from your home, There is a good possibility that they have been neglected for too long and the shear weight of debris and water building up in your gutters caused the fasteners to pull away from the fascia board. At this point it is imperative that you do a thorough examination of your gutter system and the wood fascia behind the gutters. If the gutters were overflowing for a prolonged period of time, the fascia board may have gotten wet and began to rot. Broken seams can sometimes be re-sealed depending on the material type and the extent of the damage. If your gutters are falling off of your house, they should be repaired immediately so they don't fall on top of somebody walking below.
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Flooding or pooling around the foundation
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If your homes landscaping has poor drainage it can cause water to pool up around your homes foundation. This can result in water infiltration, cracks in the foundation or mold/mildew in and around your home. Some times the solution can be as simple as relocating the downspout or adding an extension to the bottom section of the downspout to route the water to an area of your property that has better drainage. If your home doesn't allow for good drainage then underground drains can be installed to capture all of the rainwater/roof runoff. This can be an expensive en devour, but well worth the price in the long run.
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