The gutter on your property does a number of very important jobs. They catch rainwater that is flowing off from your roof and direct it down an orderly set of downspouts. This allows you to control water flow, making it easier to walk into a building and protecting the foundation of your home. In addition, this controlled downflow minimises erosion on brickwork, reduces the risk of moulds and mildew forming and can protect paintwork too. So, overall, gutters are pretty important. And it’s also vital that you understand the key signs for when they need replacing to ensure you receive all the benefits we listed above. Our top 5 signs will help you identify when you may need to call in the professionals.

1. Visual Holes

One of the best ways to check the health of any area on your roof is through visual checks. And, this may be the first place you notice damage to your gutters. Holes, breaks or cracks can prevent water from flowing securely and lead to dripping down your walls. This is a clear cut sign that you need to have your gutter replaced, and quickly at that.

2. Buckling or Sagging

Guttering is designed to hug the outside of your home. It sits flush to your walls, ensuring there are minimal gaps for rainwater to escape when flowing off the roof and therefore, this is how it should sit at all times. If you notice sections are buckling away from the walls or even sagging down as if under extreme pressure, this is another sign that a gutter replacement could be on the cards.

3. Water Damage

As we mentioned at the beginning, gutters prevent your property from experiencing water damage. It leads to reason then that gutters that aren’t working properly are likely to be causing damage. Check your external walls for stain marks, signs of erosion or even damp marks coming through to internal rooms. These can all be signs that your gutter isn’t draining away the water effectively.

4. Underperforming Drainage

You may notice that, even after heavy rainfall, there doesn’t seem to be a significant degree of water draining out of your gutters. This is a sign that you could be dealing with a blockage or damage (see point 1). A good gutter clean may be all that’s needed to remove debris and improve its performance. However, don’t ignore bad drainage issues and think the problem will wash away.

5. Mould On Lower Floors

Keep an eye out for mould appearing on either the internal or external walls of your lowest floor – this includes basements too. Mould grows at its most abundant in moisture-rich areas which means, if your gutters aren’t working, it’s likely you’ll spot this tell-tale sign.

Well-performing gutters are essential to ensuring the strength and structural integrity of your property. If you think you’ve spotted one of our signs above or have any other queries regarding your gutter, get in touch with our team here at Industrial Roofing Services.