Winter Rain Gutter Issues Winter is starting to get a bit messy. This means your gutters are getting a workout. With all the rain and snow coming down, it can create a real mess around your home and become a headache if your gutters for some reason stop properly working. If you clean your gutters the recommended twice a year (once in the spring and once in the fall) and it seems like every time it rains water is still overflowing and making a mess then there could be a bigger cause at hand. The first thing you should look at if you are facing this problem are the downspouts. Clogged downspouts can mean your gutters drain slower and it will back them up if there is a heavy rain. A way you can check to see if it’s your downspouts causing all of the trouble is by running water from your water hose directly into your downspout ( DO NOT USE A NOZZLE; let it run freely). If water drains slowly, its your downspouts. If you have underground downspouts that take the water away from your home. Check to see if the water flows freely all the way to the bottom of the gutters. If not, it’s a problem. The 2nd place you should look to if it seems like your downspouts are clean and properly working. Look at your gutter slope. Your gutter slope is what allows the rainwater to freely flow from your gutters to your downspouts. Gutters are stressed by heavy weights whether it be debris that has sat in your gutters for way to long or by heavy snow. It’s an easy fix for a professional who knows how to pitch gutters. It is important to look for damage done to gutters or fascia board by heavy gutters because the problem will keep happening if it went on for too long. To see if your gutter slope is off run water through your gutters with the hose and see if it pools up and slowly drain. If so then it’s your pitch. The last place your should look is at your gutters themselves. Does it seem that water is just completely overshooting your gutters? This could mean that you need over-sized gutters. Call a professional to see how much it would be to replace your residential gutters with larger commercial gutters instead. If it seems like one place is getting overrun by water. You could just need a diverter to split up the water flow. This is a common method used when roof valley’s are causing water to overflow. For a free estimate on gutter replacement, repairs or adding gutter guards, call us today! Gutters & Guards experienced team will take the guess-work out of the process, and ensure that your home is protected. Connect with us for daily inspiration, updates and information: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

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