7 Signs Your Home Needs New Rain Gutters

Rain gutters don't get much attention until something goes wrong. And by the time water is pooling against your foundation or staining your siding, the damage has usually been building for a while. Here's how to spot gutter problems early.

1. Water spills over the edge during rain

Walk outside during the next storm. If water is pouring over the front of the gutter instead of flowing to the downspouts, your gutters are clogged, sagging, or too small for the amount of roof they're draining.

2. Sagging or pulling away from the house

Gutters should run in a straight, slightly sloped line. If sections dip, bow, or pull away from the fascia, the hangers have failed or the wood behind them is rotting. A sagging gutter holds standing water, which adds weight and makes the problem worse.

3. Cracks, holes, and leaking seams

Small cracks turn into big leaks. Sectional gutters are especially prone to leaks at the seams where pieces join. Look for drips along the run of the gutter during or after rain.

4. Peeling paint or rust

Paint peeling off your gutters, or orange rust spots on steel gutters, means water is sitting where it shouldn't. Rust spreads, and once it eats through, the gutter needs to be replaced.

5. Water stains or mildew on your siding

Dark streaks or mildew directly below the gutter line are a sign water is running down the side of your home instead of through the downspouts.

6. Pooling water or erosion near the foundation

Downspouts should carry water away from the house. Puddles along the foundation, washed-out flower beds, or water in a crawl space all point to a gutter system that isn't doing its job.

7. Rotting fascia boards

The fascia is the board your gutters attach to. If it's soft, stained, or crumbling, water has been getting behind the gutter. Catching this early can save you from a much bigger repair to your roof edge.

Repair or replace?

A single leaking seam or a clogged downspout can often be repaired. But if you're seeing several of these signs, or your gutters are sectional and leaking at multiple joints, replacing them with seamless gutters is usually the better long-term fix. Seamless gutters are formed on-site to fit your home in one continuous piece, so there are no seams along the run to leak.

At MTZ Roofing & Raingutters, we install seamless gutters in aluminum, bonderized steel, stainless steel and copper, and we back our rain gutter material with a lifetime warranty.

Not sure what your gutters need? Call (714) 473-7336 for a free estimate.