Most homeowners don’t spend a lot of time contemplating their rain gutters. Gutter systems are one of the most commonly overlooked home components, but they actually perform a vital role in helping your roof protect your home from water damage. Although your gutters are often out of sight and therefore out of mind, it’s still important to stay on top of regular gutter maintenance to prevent roof and foundation problems. When you take good care of your gutter system, it can be expected to last for many years, but eventually, all gutter systems need to be replaced.
At J&J Roofing in Roseville, we can help you replace your damaged gutters with a high-performance gutter system customized to your needs. Follow these signs to help decide whether your gutters should be repaired or completely replaced.
The Important Role of Your Gutter System
Your home’s gutters consist of a series of canals and downspouts meant to move water down and away from your home. This keeps water from pooling on your roof, splashing on your siding and walls, or pooling on the ground where it damages your foundation and leaks into the basement. Gutter repairs are an ongoing home maintenance cost, but there eventually comes a time when the cost of maintenance will exceed the expense of repairs.
Look for these signs it’s time to replace your gutters:
- Water on the Ground Around Your Home
Since it’s your gutters’ job to move water away from your home, when they’re not functioning as they should, water will drain to the ground near your home. Water inside your home can lead to mildew and mold proliferation, damaging your home’s interior and creating health problems. The most common reason for this is a clog or other serious problems with the gutter canal system.
- Sagging Gutters
When your gutters fill with water rather than draining and moving water away from your home, they can end up getting heavy and starting to sag. This is usually one of the most significant signs of gutter damage and usually indicates your siding needs to be completely replaced.
- Recurrent Ice Dam Problems
Ice dams are caused by poor insulation and roofing issues that together create a temperature difference on your roof, causing snow and ice to melt and then refreeze at the roof’s edge. The problem with ice dams is that they can cause significant damage to your roof, siding, lawn, and even foundation.
Having your roof and attic insulation upgraded is essential to preventing ice dams. But clogged gutters can also add to the problem by making it difficult for water to run off of the roof. As the water runs back onto the roof and encounters the temperature differential, it will create an even more significant ice load. If you’re seeing icicles on the edge of your roof, be sure to have your roof and gutters checked at the same time.
- Seam Failure
A gutter’s seams represent its greatest points of vulnerability. Seams offer an opportunity for structural damage and separation, especially after years of exposure to strong weather. To reduce the chance of seam failure in your new gutter system, consider replacing your old gutters with seamless gutter installation.
The Many Benefits of a Seamless Gutter System
If you’re thinking of replacing your gutters, a seamless gutter system offers a better alternative than traditional jointed gutters. Those traditional gutter systems, often referred to as sectional gutters, are a lower-priced gutter option. However, seamless gutters offer a number of improvements over their traditional counterparts. The primary difference between these two gutter systems is that traditional gutters are fitted together with visible seams. Seamless gutters, on the other hand, are installed using special equipment so they have no visible seam.
These are some of the main advantages of a seamless gutter system:
- Long-term Savings
While seamless gutters cost more than traditional gutters at installation, they actually save homeowners money in the long run. That’s because sectional gutters incur damage much more frequently than seamless gutters, and when these repairs go unaddressed, they can lead to expensive roof damage as well. Seamless gutters require fewer repairs and last longer, which means they’ll eventually pay for themselves in terms of savings.
- Fewer Gutter Clogs
The joints and sections in a sectional gutter system can collect debris, twigs, leaves, and dirt, and over time, this can create gutter clogs. With seamless gutters, you’ll enjoy fewer gutter clogs.
- Better Aesthetics
With all of the gaps, rust, and leaks that sectional gutters can acquire, seamless gutters offer a cleaner, more minimalistic alternative. They can also be color-matched to most siding and roofs, and they just look better.
Roseville Seamless Gutter Installation
If your gutters are sagging, cracked, or otherwise damaged, contact our seamless gutter installation team at J&J Roofing to find out about options for your home. We also offer complete gutter repair and maintenance.
We’re taking extra steps to keep our community and customers safe. To get a free estimate on your gutter replacement project, speak to a member of our team by calling 586-445-6455 or contact us online to get your consultation today.