Educate Yourself On These Three Common Gutter Mistakes That Can Shorten The Life Of Your Gutters
The actions you take with your gutters can affect how long your gutters last. Unfortunately, when it comes to gutters, people often make mistakes that can end up shortening the lifetime of their gutters without even realizing it. Educating yourself on these common mistakes can help you to avoid making them, which ultimately can help your gutters last as long as they should. Here are three common gutter mistakes that can shorten the life of your gutters.
Putting a Nail Through the Gutter
One of the most common mistakes that people make when it comes to their gutters is placing a nail through their gutters. People often do this when they are hanging Christmas lights. They hammer the nail straight through the gutter trough. Unfortunately, after a nail has pierced the trough, there is no way to patch up the hole. Water will seep out the hole when it begins to rain. And the nail should not be left in place to seal the hole, as it can lead to rust forming on your gutters. After a nail has gone through your trough, you will either need to replace a portion of your gutters or the entire gutter system, depending on the type of gutters that you have in place.
Not Checking for Splitting Seams
Another common mistake that people make when it comes to their gutters is failing to inspect their gutters. You should be inspecting your gutters routinely. When it is raining, go outside and look at your gutters. If you see water falling from the middle of the gutters, you likely have a split seam. When it stops raining, see if it looks like the two pieces of your gutters that are joined together are pulling apart. If you can see them separating, your seams are splitting. If the seams are not too far apart, they may be able to be crimped back into place by a gutter professional. However, once they fully separate or the weight of the water causes the trough to become misshapen, your gutters will need to be replaced.
Failing to Clean Out the Downspout
The final mistake that you can make that can shorten the life of your gutters is failing to clean the downspout. Most people know that they need to clean their gutter troughs at least once a year. But they often forget to clean the downspout. Leaves and debris can accumulate in the downspout, which can prevent water from flowing. If water cannot flow through the downspout, water can weigh your gutters down and cause them to pull away from your home. This can cause irreparable damage to your gutters.
If you have already made one of these mistakes and your gutters are failing as a result of the mistake, you will want to look into having your gutters repaired as quickly as possible. Contact a gutter installation company today to get an estimate to have new gutters installed on your home.
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