When inspecting your roof in spring time, don’t neglect your gutters. A poorly drained system can cause water surplus, damaging soffits, shingles and the siding of your home. In addition, poor drainage can erode soils and affect the stability of the foundation of your property.

Your gutters and downspouts require regular maintenance. With the cold and long winter behind us, there’s no doubt that spring season is the most critical time of the year to perform an inspection of your gutter system.

Here are some important tips to remember:

Step 1 – Clean your gutters

A great way to check the integrity of your gutter is to go outside when it’s raining and check your downspouts. You can also use a garden hose to spray water on your roof to see if your gutters are leaking. If there’s a little water that empties, or if the water overflows on the edge of the gutters, it’s possible that your gutter system is clogged.

It’s also a good indication that it’s full of debris. It’s a must to remove leaves, twigs and other debris by hand or with a blower, then rinse out your gutters with a garden hose to confirm the drainage process is working.

If the descent is still clogged, try to remove debris from the bottom of the downspout. You may be able to clean the cap with a water pressure device: If your actions do not unblock your downspout, you may need to remove it to locate the cause of the obstruct.

Step 2 – Check for any gutter damages

Once your gutters are cleaned, you will be able to view the damaged sections more easily. Take the time to examine your gutters for corrosion, holes, sagging, and especially leaks. You will also want to look for any missing, loose or bent fasteners. Gutters may not work properly if a section has collapses.

Sagging gutters are often the result of loosened fasteners, they are usually easy to replace or tighten. If your gutters have any negative slopes and that it’s far from the downspout, gutter repairs will be necessary to allow the system to flow properly.

Cracks are also common damage to the gutters, always resulting in leaks. The size of cracks or the holes can determine whether you are comfortable doing the repairs yourself or if you should call a gutter expert like Modern Eavestroughing.

Big holes or cracks may require replacing a whole section of your gutter system.

Do you need to repair or replace your gutters? If your gutter system needs more than a seasonal cleaning, or if they are damaged and require repairs or replacement, contact us today at (613) 736-7373.