4 Things to Know About Overflowing Gutters

Overflowing gutters can be a headache.  Left unchecked, they can become a nightmare. But how do we know why or how gutters overflow?  Here is what I discovered.

The number 1 reason is trash from leaves, pine straw and shingle granules. Once they stay start to accumulate in your gutter, they impede the flow of water to the downspout.  Over enough time unchecked, rain water will start pouring over the gutter.

#2  The second reason for gutter problems is small. (2"x3") builder's grade downspouts on the gutter system.system.  This is especially true when your home has upper gutters dumping onto lower roof gutters.

#3  A third reason is improperly pitched gutters.  Water will "stand" or "pond" in the gutter, away from the intended downspout if the gutter is not pitched correctly,  In heavy storms, the rain water will over flow the gutter at the low end. Proper pitching and alignment of the gutters requires using a level to ensure correct water movement in the gutter.

#4  The last reason for an overflowing gutter is inadequate amount of downspouts for the gutter system.  As today's homes incorporate more intricate designs, managing rain water becomes involved and complicated.  It is imperative to ensure proper drainage from the roof to the ground by maintaining an adequate number of 3"x4" downspouts for the gutter system.

Once these (4) items have been inspected, evaluated, repaired and modified, you can have the piece of mind knowing your gutter system is providing you the best possible protection.

Allen and Deans recently completed a shutter project in North Raleigh.  The shutters were a raised panel, manufactured by Mid-America Building Products.  The shutters were securely anchored into the mortar joints with hidden clips.

A Roof Replacement May Require Removal and Reinstallation of Gutter Protection

When considering installing a gutter guard, which is installed under a row of shingles, the inspection of the roof is a necessary component.  If the shingles are brittle or curling, or if the homeowner knows that their 15-year shingles are now 20 years old, serious consideration should be given to replacing the roof  first.  This is an important consideration to avoid a removal and re-installation of gutter guards in the near future.

Gutter covers have to be taken off before a roof is replaced. In many instances,  in order to not void the warranty, you must have the installing company do the removal and re-installation. Most companies will not be comfortable with warranting other company’s re-installation of their gutter guards.  It is not uncommon for a roofing contractor to volunteer with the best of intentions to remove and re-install the gutter protection for free.  Then when the systems fails and the homeowner calls the original installing company, they find out that the system was reinstalled improperly.  In some cases, the system was damaged and unusable due to improper removal and re-installation. We see this all too often.

There usually is a charge for this service.  The removal and subsequent installation involves the gutter installation crew to come out twice, once for the removal and again for the re-installation.  The installing company incurs set up fees twice for each service. 

Sometimes material has to be replaced.  Gutter covers don’t always go back on properly, once they are removed, especially if you are dealing with an inexperienced crew or a crew which has never worked with that type of guard.  Sometimes, the color of the roof is changed, so the color of the gutter protection is changed as well requiring all of the panels to be replaced.

There is usually a nominal fee for the removal and re-installation.  A gutter cover installer or contractor has already made a profit on the original installation and usually just covers the cost on materials and labor.  Some gutter cover installer or contractors that also do roofing will perform the service at no charge as long as you purchase your new roof from them in the future.  This is a good situation if you really need gutter protection, and your roof still has a few years of life left to it.

You can avoid an unpleasant surprise in the future if you consider the condition of your roof before purchasing a gutter protection.  You need to plan out what is going to happen when you eventually replace your roof to avoid extra expense or loss of warranty.