Gutter Cleaning and Repair – Which Do I Need?

Gutter cleaning and repair often get put together. It is common for homeowners to misdiagnose the source of their gutter problems. Because, to an untrained eye, overflow that is caused by a clog may look similar to overflow that is caused by damages or improperly installed gutters. Let’s look at how gutter cleaning and repair occasionally go hand in hand.

How To Know When To Clean Gutters?

Do You Have Gutter Overflow?

Overflowing at or near the downspout is a tell-tale sign that you need a gutter cleaning and there is likely a blockage in your downspout that is inhibiting the water from flowing down the downspout.

Whereas, overflow that is occurring in the middle of a gutter, and/or at the opposite end of a downspout typically indicates the need for a repair or reinstall because this could:

  1. be a sign of a pitch issue
  2. mean your gutters are too small
  3. mean there are not enough leaders or downspouts
  4. be your gutters are sagging/pulling from your home due to age, or install issues

Gutter Cleaning and Repair

Indications that you have overflow issues:

It is important to remedy these overflow issues because continued run-off can lead to many serious and expensive issues for your home like, water damage, flooding, and foundation damages. Having your gutters cleaned regularly is a very important home maintenance practice. During an evaluation, our professionally trained staff can determine whether your gutter system is in need of a cleaning, or if your overflow is due to other issues that may involve a repair or a replacement.

Let the Pros Decide

Although the above lists are great indications and starting points to understanding what may be wrong with your gutter system, it is important to remember that each situation must fully and properly be assessed by a professional. This allows a pro can to look further into the concerns and accurately determine the problem. The right solution for your gutters is not cookie cutter, and each home often requires a unique solution. Additionally, if your gutters are not brand new, a new installation may be more cost effective than a repair. As the majority of a gutter installation cost is not based on material, but labor and good service.

This video shows several problems. There is overflow at the downspout indicating that a clog is likely, but there is also overflow in the center of the system. This could be a sign of poor pitch, the improper number of downspouts, or inadequate gutter size. As you can see, there are clear water stains and pooling at the foundation where the center gutter issues are occurring.

If you have gutter overflow, contact The Brothers that just do Gutters today for your free estimate. You can trust in us to properly diagnose your situation, and provide the best unique solution.