If the gutters on your home do not have a gutter guard or leaf catcher installed, debris can collect in the gutters, clogging downspouts and creating spillovers. These spillovers and clogs are not only damaging to your home, but they can also create very hazardous conditions, especially in the winter. 

Here in Southeast PA, with our constant freezing and thawing cycle in the winter, rain or melting snow can form puddles under clogged gutters, which subsequently freeze and create a safety hazard. This moisture can also seep into and around the foundation, causing damage from the continual expansion and contraction of freezing and thawing water. 

Clogged gutters and downspouts can cause further damage by allowing moisture to seep into walls, under the eaves, and into the roof and attic. No part of your home is safe from water damage if the lowly and often-forgotten gutters are left unattended. 

At M&K Renovations, we’ve seen all these forms of damage caused by clogged, bent, or damaged gutters. New gutter installation generally is not an expensive project, compared to other home projects, but has a tremendous positive impact on the safety of the home. If your gutters are in good shape, adding a gutter guard of some kind can protect them and your home. 

Different kinds of gutter guards

Different guards and leaf catchers have different purposes and different levels of effectiveness. Talk to us about your particular situation to determine which is best for you. Some guards work well if you are surrounded by broadleaf trees, such as maples or oaks, but do not catch pine needles well. Some work well on low-sloped roofs but are less efficient on roofs with a steep pitch. Guards and leaf catchers also vary greatly in price. 

Screens are fairly inexpensive and easy to install. Homeowners who have the right equipment or who have low gutters often install these themselves. Screens can vary in material and style, from perforated sheets of metal or PVC to micro mesh. Fine mesh is very effective at keeping out debris; however, it can get clogged by moss, mold, or tar from asphalt roofs. 

Solid-top gutter guards are sleek-looking. Water flows across them from the roof, and because of surface tension, the water follows the curve of the top into the gutter below, but debris drops right off the edge to the ground. Some solid-tops are more effective than others, so talk to an expert about which would be best for your house. For instance, while solid-tops guard against debris well, they do not work as well at preventing run-off from metal or steeply sloped roofs, because the water runs too quickly for all of it to be caught by surface tension into the trough below.

Gutter inserts are an economical option. A gutter brush looks like a long, stiff bottle brush that fills the gutter. It’s simple to install, allows water to flow easily, and catches most debris. You will need to pull it out and shake the debris loose fairly frequently, so if you live near trees, it may not be the best choice. 

Foam inserts are wedge-shaped and fit snugly into the gutter. Water goes through, debris blows off. Another kind of guard looks a lot like a dish-scrubbing pad. This woven nylon mat slips into the gutter, creating a slight dome, which allows water through while debris passes over it. 

Call us for a free inspection of your gutters. If they are in good condition but have no guards, we can advise you on which kind may work best for your home and your budget. If you need new gutters, we recommend you protect them with a leaf guard or insert of some kind. Reach out to us at our office on the Main Line, (610) 353-2895. We service Philadelphia and surrounding areas.

If you missed cleaning your gutters in the spring, there’s no time like the present, as summer weather and thunderstorms with heavy gusts of wind could be around the corner here in Southeast PA. You want to make sure your gutters are in good repair so that they can keep your house dry inside when it’s wet outside. 

Parts of a gutter

Your gutters are made of many individual parts that all need to be in good condition in order for your gutters to function properly. The long sections along your roof line are simply called sections, which are often joined together to extend the entire length of the roof. Some gutters are fitted with gutter guards of some sort to deflect debris. The end cap closes the section at the end so that water stops flowing along the section and is directed down the downspout.

Downspouts often have elbows, which direct the downspout toward the side of your house. Without the elbows, your downspout would probably hang a foot or more away from the side of your home, making it very susceptible to damage from wind or debris. It is more secure against your house. The spout and sections are all secured to the house with various types of hangers and straps.

The downspout should lead down to a splash block or a pipe that directs water at least six feet away from your house in order to avoid moisture collecting along the foundation. 

What can go wrong

With so many different parts, there are a lot of ways things can go wrong. First, while gutters look horizontal to the naked eye, they should have a slight slope in order to direct water towards the downspout. Too little slope and the water sits and creates an environment for mold and mosquitoes and increases the risk of rusting out the gutters. Too much slope and the water rushes too fast into the downspout. The pressure of rapidly moving water can cause sections and hangers to come loose. 

If your gutters aren’t fitted with a gutter guard, debris easily fills them, especially if there are trees near your home. This debris can also create a moist environment for mold and rust, and it can run down into your downspouts and create clogs, especially in the elbows or at the base of the downspout, which can cause water to accumulate around your foundation, potentially causing serious damage. 

Backflow is another problem. If gutters are not properly slanted away from the side of the house or are not positioned the proper distance from your house, water can flow from the edge of the roof underneath the roofing material or down the side of your house. This can cause serious water damage inside your home. 

Finally, just the general passage of time can cause the parts of the gutter to come apart, hangers to loosen, and metal to rust. If you have gutter guards, they could be dislodged by strong winds or heavy debris and no longer function as intended. 

Cleaning your gutters

As gutter experts, we are well aware of the dangers associated with cleaning gutters along a roof that is more than one story high. If you have a rancher or low gutters, you as the homeowner may be able to clean the gutters without a ladder. But we do strongly recommend you call an expert to handle higher gutters because tragedy does sometimes strike when a homeowner is trying to clean gutters without the proper equipment or training. 

If you have a hose with an extension, you can try to flush debris out of your gutters while you remain safely on the ground. If any elbows or downspouts within reach seem to have gotten dislodged, you can reconnect them and add caulk to any small leaks. If you see any loose nails from gutter hangers, tap them back into the wall or trim carefully to tighten your gutters’ position against your house. But as previously mentioned, unless you’re an expert, you won’t be able to tell whether your gutters are positioned properly to direct water away from your home and down the spout correctly.  

If you notice any other issues with your gutters or you suspect leakage into your home, please contact an experienced contractor to help you. Avoid choosing someone randomly or someone who comes to your door soliciting. 

At M&K Renovations, we have years of experience and many testimonials from happy customers to assure you that we will always do what’s best for you as a homeowner. Call us at (610) 353-2895 from anywhere in the Philadelphia, PA area to see how we can help you.