Your home’s gutters help drain water away from your home, preventing leaks in your roof and foundation. Without functioning gutters, your basement could flood, among other problems.
Standing water in gutters is a common problem and might occur for several reasons. Fixing the problem is essential. While it may seem like a non-issue, standing water in your gutters can lead to other issues that will take more time and effort to rectify.
The experts at Edwards/Mooney & Moses explain why standing water in gutters is a problem and how to fix it.
Common Causes of Water in Gutters
If your gutters aren’t draining, there are several possible explanations. It’s best to inspect your gutters to try to locate the issue quickly.
Remember: If you use a ladder, make sure it’s on flat ground and you have a spotter.
Clogged Downspouts
It’s easy for downspouts to become clogged. Surrounding trees drop leaves, twigs, branches and other debris onto your roof, which can get stuck in your gutters. Too much can create a clog that makes it difficult for water to reach your downspouts.
Regularly clean your gutters to avoid this issue. You can scoop out the debris with a trowel, use a wet/dry vac or a gutter cleaner attachment for your garden hose. A power washer will also work, but you must avoid damaging your shingles and roof. If the leaves haven’t decomposed, you could use a leaf blower.
You can also consider gutter guards to help prevent debris from accumulating. Gutter guards prevent most debris from accumulating in your gutters.
Sagging Gutters
Sagging gutters can also cause standing water. Debris, snow and ice can cause your gutters to sag, which means water will have nowhere to go. Another cause of sagging gutters is improper installation.
Rainwater and melting snow will accumulate in the sagging gutter. If your gutters are clean and the water is still not draining, gutter repairs are needed.
Seam Leaks
Traditional gutters have seams that connect two pieces of gutter. Over time, seams can deteriorate or weaken due to excessive debris in your gutters. That means leaks, overflowing, pooling runoff and standing water.
Seams can be repaired, but the best preventative measure is installing seamless gutters. Seamless gutters are molded to fit your home in large pieces rather than several shorter sections. Copper and aluminum K-style gutters are an excellent option for many homes to avoid seam leaks.
Improper Gutter Pitch
Gutters are installed at a specific pitch or slope to facilitate water drainage. Gutters must be sloped at least one-fourth of an inch every 10 feet. This helps the water drain toward the downspouts.
Your gutters might be at an incorrect slope if there’s standing water and no clogs. They’ll need to be rehung to the proper slope or replaced entirely.
Effects of Standing Water in Gutters
Standing water in gutters can cause many problems. Some potential risks include:
- Foundational damage
- Bug and pest intrusion
- Basement flooding
- Mold growth
If your gutters aren’t repaired as soon as possible, these problems can compound and become very expensive to fix.
Schedule Gutter Services in Columbus, OH
At Edwards/Mooney & Moses, we strive to ensure new home construction and multifamily homes have the correct gutters from the start to avoid expensive problems.
We install the best copper and aluminum K-style gutters because we believe in their efficiency and durability. Get it right the first time with Edwards/Mooney & Moses’ gutter installations.
Call Edwards/Mooney & Moses at (614) 254-5309 to schedule K-style gutter services in Columbus, OH.
