When it comes to rain gutters, their problems are rather serious and the consequences terrible. But that doesn’t mean that each time there’s a problem, you’ll need to call a gutter service company to replace them. More often than not, some problems can be fixed. All the same, there comes a time when you stand in the midst of your landscape wondering whether it’s time for gutter repair or replacement. And we are here to help you take such a serious decision.
Symptoms pointing the way in favor of gutter repair
You definitely need a reliable gutter service contractor to assess the problem. As an overall, trivial problems that can be fixed without costing a fortune and haven’t affected your home in a great extent can be repaired.
One of the most common problems is clogging. But then, there’s only a need for gutter cleaning and then the chances are that the problem will be solved. When it comes to such services, one of the reasons for entrusting them to pros is that they can assess the condition of the gutters. Once they clean them, they can see if there’s damage under the debris that must be fixed.
Other problems that call for repairs include a few holes, rusty sections, sagging parts, and joints falling apart. You might observe that the water slips through the gutters instead of coming off through the downspout or might see some sections sagging – this happens when they are not fastened well any longer. The pros can secure the sagging sections again and do gutter caulking and all kinds of repairs – even replacing a few fasteners or gutter sections.
Your decision depends on the gutter repair service cost and the age of the gutters. But you shouldn’t take this for granted either. Relatively new gutters whose parts are mostly damaged for one reason or another might not be worth fixing. Although this is a far-stretched example, it is said to make a point. It always depends on whether the problem can be fixed well without costing you an arm and a leg.
When gutter replacement becomes a one-way street
Now, if the repair cost is big or the damage extensive, prefer gutter replacement. This is needed when the damage is not limited to one or two sections but includes most parts of the rain gutters. Dealing with one sagging gutter section is one thing, dealing with destroyed and sagging gutters all over is a different story. You also need to replace gutters when a problem keeps happening again and again. Don’t forget that some problems might happen or recur due to an improper gutter installation. Take for example, the pitch. If it’s wrong from the start, you’ll have several problems from the start and depending on the gutters’ condition and age, you might want to have them replaced.
Sometimes, it only takes the replacement of one or two sections to solve a problem. Your aluminum residential gutters might be partially dented and these damaged sections can be replaced. Notice that this is true when these are sectional and not seamless gutters. So if your gutters are damaged – even partially – but they are seamless, chances are that you will need to replace them. Last but not least, it’s best to have the gutters replaced when they are too old, too rusty, or have already caused water damage. In such cases, they are about to make your life a lot harder if they are not replaced with new ones. But before you take any decision, let a pro check them.
