Your gutters are great communicators. They’re on the job 24/7 protecting your home from the elements. And they’re not shy about telling when something isn’t quite right. From the subtle to not so subtle signs of gutter failure, pay attention to what your gutter system is telling you when water appears in the basement, soil around the downspouts becomes eroded, or sections start to pull away from the fascia.
Hidden Warning Signs
The paradox is fully functional gutters are virtually invisible. But while hidden warning signs might occur out-of-sight, they are still identifiable if you know what to look for.
Stains/damp patches: Overflowing gutters that leave stains on siding or has splashed up into the soffit or fascia can be the source of wood rot behind siding and soffit panels or fascia boards.
Peeling paint: When paint flakes, bubbles, or peels on siding or in areas near or adjacent to the gutters, the cause is most likely from leaking seams or endcaps not visible to the eye. Peeling paint can also be the visible sign of what’s going on behind the scenes – wood rot, mould growth, advancing structural issues.
Asphalt roofing shingles: While accumulated granules of asphalt shingles is more of a roof issue than a failing gutters issue, these granules, if left to sit in the gutter channel, can erode its protective finish, making aluminum gutters prone to corrosion and vinyl gutters susceptible to brittleness and/or cracking.
Subtle Warning Signs
Subtle warning signs of failing gutters can appear like little annoyances or minor issues. But when unchecked, they can be a root cause of gutter failure.
Hardware: One of the more subtle warning signs of potential gutter failure is loose hardware. Spikes become stressed and ferrules are damaged by environmental conditions, causing gutter sections to pull away from the fascia.
Mould: Mould appears on siding directly below the eaves.
Areas around the gutter system: A deck constructed of wood, window trim, entry doors, garage doors, and siding (wood, cedar, composite wood) are susceptible to wood rot when gutters start to fail.
Soil erosion: As gutters begin to fail, landscaping experiences oversaturation and/or soil erosion.
Standing water: When the cause of standing water is not clogs in the downspouts or gutter channels, it could be that the gutter slope has shifted, requiring correction.
Pest infestations: When they like to hang around your roof, mosquitoes (breed in standing water), wasps and bees (need a combination of water source and good nesting), and ants (like to make a home in damp wood) can serve as a subtle sign of impending gutter failure.
Tiger striping: Striping, either faint grey or darker green-tinted streaks, appearing on the outside of the gutters are often caused by consistently overflowing gutters.
Obvious Warning Signs
Visible damage from the ground to a gutter system includes:
- Sagging and/or missing gutter sections
- Disconnected downspouts
- Flooded basement
- Damp patches on interior walls or ceilings
- Gutters that overflow during a regular rainfall
- Leaking seams and/or endcaps
Failing gutters typically show visible clues as to how well they are functioning. Homeowners doing regular home maintenance can often identify them in time before gutter failure actually occurs.
