Day: October 29, 2021

When Should Surrey Residents Install a New Gutter System?

Elene Chamberlin Gutter Cleaning
When Should Surrey Residents Install a New Gutter System?

Whether your house in Surrey has an aging gutter system or none at all, you may be wondering if it’s time to have a new gutter system installed. There are several situations where rain gutter installation, rather than repair or just not having any, is the best course of action.

If You Don’t Have any Gutters

When you buy a house that isn’t brand new, you may find that it doesn’t have any gutters on it. In that case, you’re probably wondering if you should bother having some installed. The answer is yes. Gutters protect your foundation from being inundated with water, either during rains or as the snow melts in the spring. This helps your foundation last longer.

If you just moved to Surrey or other parts of Metro Vancouver you know the west coast gets a substantial amount of rain and as a homeowner checking that your house ability to deal with rain and wind storm is crucial to preventing costly damage.

raingutter-surrey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check our previous post to learn how gutters work and why they are necessary.

If you add gutters to a formerly gutterless house, you’ll also enjoy the fact that this keeps roof water from forming a groove in the lawn at the roof line. You’ll be able to plant flowers or shrubs there, when before, plants would have been drowned out or beaten down.

If Your Current Gutters are Heavily Damaged

While some gutter damage can be repaired, it often isn’t worth it if there are a multitude of leaks and other problems. A single repair is inexpensive, but if you need several, the costs add up. It is also likely that even more damage will reveal itself soon. In these cases, it’s physically better, and usually no more expensive, to get an entire new system.

Mechanical damage to gutters often arises from storms, which can blow them down or blow trees into them. This bends the gutters, can split them at the seams, or even punch holes through the material. Since insurance will often pay for gutter replacement in these cases, there’s no need to attempt a patchwork of fixes.

If Your Existing Gutters are Corroded

corroded gutter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When corrosion first starts, you may find that the joints are leaking. These can often be fixed at first, but corrosion eventually spreads to the entire gutter system. Then, you can end up with leaks all along it. Even worse, the parts that aren’t leaking are still corroding, so they’re likely to start leaking soon. That’s when it’s a good idea to stop trying to keep your old system going. It’s time to retire it, and get new gutter installation Surrey.

If ignored long enough, corroded gutters will become very fragile and can even fall apart in your hand. This condition is most common in houses that haven’t been lived in for a long time, or whose owners have been unable to replace the gutters sooner for some reason. By that point, there is no possible repair, and it’s beyond time to get new ones.

What is the Most Common Reason Gutters Fail?

Due to their relatively protected location up at the roof line, most gutters do not suffer sudden damage. Instead, they fail due to age. As time goes on, plasticized parts get brittle and metal ones corrode. At first, this type of damage can be repaired. Seamless gutter repair can even stop a multitude of leaks, and make it harder for new ones to form. Even with this, however, the time will come that there just isn’t enough of the original substance left to fix it anymore.

Because of this, gutters are typically quite old when they need to be replaced. Many make it for several decades. However, the time will eventually come, and when it does, it’s important to get a new system in place so that your foundation continued to be protected. In some cases, new gutters will also protect your walls from discoloration.

Other Reasons to Get New Gutters

Extensive storm damage is another reason you might need new gutters. In many cases, you won’t have to replace them after a storm – just reattach the existing ones to the house. However, if a tree has come through a big portion of gutter, it may have made holes or completely mangled the material. Then, your best bet is to put new sections on the affected side(s) of the house.

You also may decide to get new rain gutter installation if your existing system has been problematic for years. In that case, it’s time to get off of the repair merry-go-round and take care of the problem for good. Replace your inferior system with one that will not only hold water, but will keep doing so for many years to come. In this case, the benefit is that you won’t have to fuss with your gutters every year until the end of time, and can then use your time and energy on better things.

Finally, some people get gutter replacement mainly for appearance’s sake. An old, dented, rusty gutter system will detract from the appeal and value of your house, even if it is perfectly functional from a practical perspective. If your gutters are in this condition, getting new ones is a great way to freshen up the looks of your home and increase its curb appeal.

Final thoughts about Gutter Installation and Maintenance

When it comes to caring for your house in Surrey, make sure you add gutters to your annual home maintenance checklist This will help you be pro-active and avoid gutter issues during the rainy season and winter months in British Columbia, when you most need them.

When it’s time to get new gutters for any reason, call us at Weatherguard Gutters. Our gutter experts operate with full fall protection safety, uses man lifts to safely reach high positions, and our gutter installers are even trained in first aid. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about accidents or liability when you bring in our crew to do the work.

We also don’t have problems with unique gutter architecture or calls for less-common materials. We can make continuous gutters, create systems from copper or zinc, or provide replacement parts for smaller areas of damage. We also provide soffits, leaf protection systems, downpipes, and even siding upon request.

If you’re in the area of Surrey or other parts of metro Vancouver, contact Weatherguard Gutters today. Soon, you’ll have gutters that look great and work perfectly. You’ll love not having to fuss with any more repairs!

 

The post When Should Surrey Residents Install a New Gutter System? appeared first on Weather Guard Gutters.

Why are My Gutters Leaking?

Elene Chamberlin Gutter Improvement
Why are My Gutters Leaking?

Leaking gutters are some of the most obvious signs that it’s time for a gutter repair, but just what causes them? While some of the reasons are obvious, at least one is fairly easy to miss. Here is what to look for if you have a dripping gutter:

ge of the Gutters

Like many parts of the house, gutters get weakened and worn out with age. Old gutters have been through many seasons, had exposure to corrosive elements, and may even have been banged into by tree limbs. These things add up to weaken the material the gutters are made from, and eventually, small holes or even tears develop. Leaks will occur through each new opening. Eventually, there can be so many of these unwanted openings that the gutter system is more like a roofline sprinkler than a gutter.

Loose Gutters

Storms, abuse, and the effects of time can all cause your gutters to get pulled slightly away from your house. When this happens, it often appears that you have leaks, but in reality, the water is escaping before it even gets into the gutter system. It’s coming through the gap between the roof and the gutters, so the fix for this is to reattach them so they are tight to the roofline once again.

Clogs

When your gutters get clogged, water backs up within them and then rises. Once the water line is above the top of the gutters, it spills over the side. As with loose gutters, the problem isn’t really that you have a leak. In this case, the capacity of the system is simply being exceeded by the volume of the water. Clearing your gutter clogs will fix the problem. Typically, you can spot where the clog is by looking for the place where the dripping stops, but if the downspout is what is blocked, it will drip over the entire length of the gutters overhead.

Gaps Between Sections

If your gutter system is made in sections, then each piece has to be securely attached to the next one(s) in order for everything to work properly. Through time or direct damage, these sections can come apart slightly, causing leaks. Proper reassembly of the gutters will take care of the problem, but it’s important to be sure to use methods that will resist the forces that made them come apart in the first place.

Improper Gutter Slope

This is one of the hardest issues for a homeowner to see, so if you find yourself wondering “why do my gutters drip,” there is a high chance that this is the reason. Sagging gutters, improper initial installation, and more can cause the “grade” of the gutters to go away from the downspout instead of toward it. Then, the gutters fill with water and overflow, much like if they were clogged. They will need to be put back on with the proper slope in order to fix this.

Determining What’s Causing your Gutter to Leak

Often, you can see what is causing a dripping gutter just by looking. This is especially true if there is corrosion, either at random places or at the joints between the gutter sections. If nothing like this is visible, wait for a rainy day and then go out and watch the leak pattern. You can usually see if the water is coming over the sides, down between the roof edge and the gutter, or through the bottom of the troughs.

While you’re out there, check the downspout – if nothing’s coming out and no water is coming through the trough of the gutter itself either, it’s probably clogged. If the system is old or there has been a big storm, it is also possible that there is more than one problem that needs to be attended to.

How to Fix Leaking Gutters

While the principle of how to fix leaking gutters isn’t that hard, this is a dangerous job. You not only have to get up on a tall ladder, but have to wrestle with long, unwieldy pieces of material that will want to awkwardly fall down as soon as they are released from their fasteners. Therefore, it’s best to hire professionals to do the work.

Once the cause of the problem has been determined, the right course of action can be decided on. If the gutters are just clogged, then it just takes cleaning to restore proper operation. However, if corrosion is present, other steps must be taken.

When only a small part of a gutter is corroded, such as the space between joints, a patch or caulk can usually be applied to stop the leak. Alternatively, a company may use a seamless gutter insert to restore a solid surface to a large area – sometimes, the entire system. These rely on the strength of the original gutters to hold them up, so the originals do have to have enough material left to serve that purpose.

If a section of the gutter system is too corroded to hold a liner or a patch, then it must be replaced. In many cases, part of the system will reach this state before the rest, so it can be worthwhile to do this instead of replacing the entire thing. However, the time does come when a system will finally be old enough for full replacement. Fortunately, this is not a sudden process, so it doesn’t have to make a surprise hit to the budget.

Correcting sagging gutters basically involves reinstalling them the right way. New hangers are typically used, since one of the causes of sagging is the failure of the old ones.

If you need leaking gutter repair in Metro Vancouver or the Lower Mainland, or you have a dripping gutter and can’t figure out why, contact us at Weatherguard Gutters today. We’ll be glad to come out, assess the situation, and give you a quote on gutter leak repair or replacement.

The post Why are My Gutters Leaking? appeared first on Weather Guard Gutters.

How do Gutters Work and Why are They Necessary?

Elene Chamberlin Gutter Services
How do Gutters Work and Why are They Necessary?

The vast majority of houses have rain gutters, but many people don’t think too much about them. Because of this lack of attention, it’s easy to mistakenly ignore them if they become clogged or damaged. Some even think it’s a fine idea to just pull them down and be done with them. Is this really a good way to deal with gutters? Read on to learn how rain gutters work and why they are necessary.

Why Are Rain Gutters Necessary?

When it rains, every 100 square feet of your roof accumulates and drains 60 gallons of water per inch of precipitation. Many roofs are about 2,300 square feet. That means they will be shunting off 1,380 gallons of water for every inch that falls on them.

Without gutters, those 1,380 gallons of water drop straight off of the leading edges of the roof and go into the ground at or very close to your house’s foundation. This interferes with the ground’s ability to support the foundation, and in turn, that can lead to shifting, cracking of the foundation, and foundation undermining. It can also cause cracks in basement walls and damage to your house.

Foundation damage is extremely expensive to repair. It typically requires lifting the house on jacks, doing the work necessary to fix the problem, and then carefully setting the house back down. This lifting can cause other latent structural problems to appear, especially in the walls of the house. Unfortunately, ignoring foundation damage only lets it get worse, so if the house is to be kept indefinitely, repair must be done when damage occurs.

Damage to basement walls not only weakens the structure of the house, but allows leaks. When a basement leaks, mold soon finds the wet materials perfect for incubation. Then, you end up with a mold problem as well as a water issue. Even worse, water that leaks in typically does not go away nearly as fast as it came. This allows the mold to keep growing even when it is dry outside.

How do Gutters Work?

Gutters are placed at the leading edges of the roof. There, they collect the torrents of water that come from the roof during rainstorms, and direct them to a safe area for discharge via downspouts. In many cases, this area is simply far enough away from the house to avoid foundation damage. However, many people now have their downspouts aimed into rain barrels or into hoses for distribution to their gardens. Rain barrels allow the water to be saved for drier days.

As you can see, how gutters work is simple. Even so, they are very important for protecting your house from damage.

The Importance of Maintaining Your Rain Gutter

Maintaining your rain gutter is essential for preventing a wide variety of problems, not all of which are at ground level. A cracked or rusted rain gutter will drip down from any gaps, and if it is close enough to your wall, this will leave ugly stains all down the side of the house. If its fasteners are in a similar state, it can fall down suddenly as well, potentially injuring anyone or anything that is beneath it.

Clogged gutters pose even more problems. The rainwater can’t get out properly, so these gutters fill up with water. Some will spill over the side, but there’ll still be a full gutter below the water line. That puts weight into the system that the gutter’s fasteners were never meant to hold, so they may fail and let the gutter fall down without warning. Alternatively, one or two fasteners will fail, leaving the damaged gutter hanging askew.

If gutters are left clogged long enough, the fallen leaves causing the blockage will rot and turn to humus. This doesn’t clear the clog, but it does provide the perfect environment to germinate the seeds and fern spores that have landed in there. Wild plants growing from the gutters may not look all that bad, but they gain a huge amount of weight as they grow. A full-grown tree weighs many tons, so you can see that a sapling will quickly end up weighing enough to tear a gutter off of a house. If there are multiple plants growing up there, it will take even less time for their growth to add up to a catastrophic amount of weight.

The Right Time to Get a New Gutter System

Like any man-made thing that is constantly exposed to the weather, gutters eventually wear out to the point that replacement is in order. Look for large numbers of leaks, widespread corrosion (including in the fasteners), and similar problems. Also check to be sure that your downspouts go at least 10 feet from your house.

If your gutters are in an overall poor condition due these problems, it’s time to go ahead and replace your gutter system. The exception is the downspouts, which can be replaced separately from the rest of the system.

When Are Gutters Not Necessary?

While some say that every house needs gutters, there is one situation where many say that they’re not absolutely necessary. That is when the house is built on piers. A “pier foundation,” as it is sometimes called, elevates the house off of the ground and uses relatively thin, deep posts to give it stability. This foundation system is often found in mobile and manufactured homes as well as old site-built ones. Houses in flood zones may also use piers, regardless of whether they are manufactured or site-built.

Even with a pier foundation, you may find that it’s a good idea to have gutters. This is because some soils are prone to shifting if they get too wet, and this can cause the piers to move. If you have this type of soil, the answer to “are gutters necessary” is yes.

To get an estimate for gutter maintenance, repair, or replacement, contact us here at Weatherguard Gutters. We’ll be glad to help you keep your house safe.

The post How do Gutters Work and Why are They Necessary? appeared first on Weather Guard Gutters.

Why a Pressure Washer is Essential To Clean Your Gutters

Elene Chamberlin Gutter Services
Why a Pressure Washer is Essential To Clean Your Gutters

The gutters on your home can be difficult to clean, especially when you don’t have the tools you need to clean them correctly. It’s hard to reach your gutters and soffits with just a ladder and hose, which is why pressure washers are used by professionals to get your gutters cleaned or by using a professional gutter cleaning service is recommended.

A pressure washer can help eliminate chemical residue, mold, grease and any other contaminants from your rain gutters.

To protect your home and surrounding foliage, there are a number of steps to take when you are going to pressure wash your gutters on your own.

Protect Your Foliage

When you are going to use soap to clean your gutters and soffits, you will want to use the low-pressure nozzle and give your gutters, soffits and surrounding foliage a good soak. This will rinse off a good amount of debris and give your soap a chance to work.

After cleaning your gutters, rinse your foliage once again to get rid of any soap residue.

fter the First Rinse

pressure washer gutter cleaning

Use detergent to get the dirt and grime off your soffits and gutters. Pay attention to the detergent you are using and dilute the detergent as directed.

Cover your soffits and gutters with detergent and let it soak for about 15 minutes. Pay attention to avoid getting water into your soffits, as this can lead to mold and mildew growth.

Remove the Dirt and Detergent

Once the detergent has broken up the dirt and loosened it, use the high-pressure nozzle and rinse your soffits and gutters thoroughly.

Make sure the detergent nozzle is off so that you don’t add more detergent to your home while trying to rinse it off. You will want to use the low-pressure rinse one more time on your home and foliage after rinsing off the detergent to get any remaining particles.

Use a Gutter Cleaning Attachment

weatherguard wash wand
You don’t have to get up on a ladder with a pressure washer to clean your gutters. You can use a gutter cleaning attachment instead, which is a much safer way to clean your gutters.

When you don’t have the equipment you need, it can be easier to have a professional come and clean your gutters instead.

If you need to have your gutters cleaned, contact us today at Weatherguard Gutters to get a free estimate. We have been serving homes in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland for more than 25 years, and we are ready to help you with all your gutter needs.

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