Did you know the gutters are the first line of defense your home has against rain and snow? If your gutters aren’t working, your home is at-risk for foundation leaks and mold growth! Kanga Roof has created a simple 6 step process to help you protect your gutters from breaking down and needing major repairs.
Clean the Gutters Regularly
One of the best things you can do for your gutters is to care for them regularly. Using a power-washer is a great way to help you clean out the dirt and leaves that start to get stuck in the gutters. The roof is designed to push the water off and away from the home by using the gutters. However, the roof starts to have dirt accumulate on it from the various weather throughout the years, which leads to clogged gutters. Even if water is still coming through the gutters, the excess debris can drastically slow down the gutters ability to move water off the roof and away from the home.
Install Gutter Guards
If you do notice you have quite a lot of debris accumulating in the gutters, consider adding gutter guards. Kanga Roof provides professional gutter guard installation that are designed to push the leaves off the roof, while allowing moisture to go into the gutter and be pushed through the downspout and away from the home. While there are cheap options for gutter guards, they are not always effective at properly pushing leaves, twigs, and other debris away from the gutters.
Secure Gutters to the Home
Quite often there are large icicles that start to grow on the gutters and can pull them away from the home. When this occurs, water will start to run down the walls of the home. The water can quickly start flooding the basement as it passes through the foundation. If you can see a small amount of light between the gutters and the home, take a rubber mallet to gently push the gutter spike back into the roof.
Install Heating Coils
The cold winter weather in Utah can make it challenging for gutters to stay free from ice and snow. Using heating coils is a great way to melt the ice and snow to melt it into water and remove it from the roof and away from the foundation of your home. Heating coils only need to be turned on when you have water that is melting and starting to cause ice buildup in the gutter.
Repair Holes
When the gutters become older, they can start to develop small holes. This is quite common for aluminum gutters, especially if you have twigs that regularly get pushed through the gutters. A gutter liner roll is a quick fix for metal and vinyl gutters with small holes. However, larger holes may need to have the section of gutter removed and a new section installed. If you have gutters in this situation, contact Kanga Roof for a free roofing inspection and we can tell you what options are available for your gutters.
Adjust the Gutter Pitch
Do you have gutters that consntetly have standing water? If so, your gutters may need the pitch adjusted. The pitch is designed to move the water through the gutters using gravity. However, ice can pull on the gutters and can adjust the pitch. A gutter needs to drop 1/16″ for each section of gutter. Contact Kanga Roof if you do have pitch issues as they can be challenging to repair for some homeowners.
We hope these tips help to expand the lifespan of your gutters and help them to become efficient in removing water from the roof and away from your home. Contact Kanga Roof today for a free roofing inspection to find out if your gutters are working properly.
