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Some Surefire Signs That Your Home Needs New Gutters and Downspouts

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You may never give much thought to your home's gutters and downspouts, but these items are actually much more important to the safety of your home than you may realize. Gutters and downspouts help to direct water away from your home's foundation, keeping it from cracking or otherwise getting damaged. If gutters fall off the roof, then of course you need them replaced, but you don't always need to wait for this to happen to know that they need repair or replacement. Note a few signs that your home needs new gutters or downspouts, or both.

Peeling paint in one area 

Your home's exterior paint can peel due to age or sun exposure, but note if it's peeling in just one area. Check the gutters above or the downspouts right next to this spot. If the gutters are leaking or overflowing and allowing water to hit your home in that spot, you'll see the paint peeling away. The same is true with downspouts; if they have leaks, water will collect on your home's exterior in that area and the paint will peel away.

Wilted landscaping

As with peeling paint, your yard's landscaping may get wilted for a variety of reasons, but if it seems to always wilt in one area, this can be too much water collecting in that spot in your yard. Note if the dirt seems very wet around that area of dying landscaping and if so, you might check the gutters above it and see if there is a leak.

Connectors in your yard

When gutters lose their connectors, those nails, screws, bolts, and other such pieces will usually wash away with rainwater and wind up in your yard. If you notice any number of these pieces, don't overlook them or just toss them out but give your gutters and downspouts a thorough inspection to see if they're loose in any area because of missing those connectors.

Orange spots on your home

Orange spots on your home are not typically discolored paint, but they are rust spots that form when the outside of gutters and downspouts get wet, start to rust, and then rub up against the house. While gutters and downspouts will get wet during a rainstorm, they usually only suffer enough water damage for rust to form when they leak and allow water to run down their sides. If you notice these orange, red, or other such rusty spots on your home, check the gutters and downspouts for damage.

For more information, contact professionals like ACT Gutter Service.


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