Whether your house in Surrey has an aging gutter system or none at all, you may be wondering if it’s time to have a new gutter system installed. There are several situations where rain gutter installation, rather than repair or just not having any, is the best course of action.
If You Don’t Have any Gutters
When you buy a house that isn’t brand new, you may find that it doesn’t have any gutters on it. In that case, you’re probably wondering if you should bother having some installed. The answer is yes. Gutters protect your foundation from being inundated with water, either during rains or as the snow melts in the spring. This helps your foundation last longer.
If you just moved to Surrey or other parts of Metro Vancouver you know the west coast gets a substantial amount of rain and as a homeowner checking that your house ability to deal with rain and wind storm is crucial to preventing costly damage.
Check our previous post to learn how gutters work and why they are necessary.
If you add gutters to a formerly gutterless house, you’ll also enjoy the fact that this keeps roof water from forming a groove in the lawn at the roof line. You’ll be able to plant flowers or shrubs there, when before, plants would have been drowned out or beaten down.
If Your Current Gutters are Heavily Damaged
While some gutter damage can be repaired, it often isn’t worth it if there are a multitude of leaks and other problems. A single repair is inexpensive, but if you need several, the costs add up. It is also likely that even more damage will reveal itself soon. In these cases, it’s physically better, and usually no more expensive, to get an entire new system.
Mechanical damage to gutters often arises from storms, which can blow them down or blow trees into them. This bends the gutters, can split them at the seams, or even punch holes through the material. Since insurance will often pay for gutter replacement in these cases, there’s no need to attempt a patchwork of fixes.
If Your Existing Gutters are Corroded
When corrosion first starts, you may find that the joints are leaking. These can often be fixed at first, but corrosion eventually spreads to the entire gutter system. Then, you can end up with leaks all along it. Even worse, the parts that aren’t leaking are still corroding, so they’re likely to start leaking soon. That’s when it’s a good idea to stop trying to keep your old system going. It’s time to retire it, and get new gutter installation Surrey.
If ignored long enough, corroded gutters will become very fragile and can even fall apart in your hand. This condition is most common in houses that haven’t been lived in for a long time, or whose owners have been unable to replace the gutters sooner for some reason. By that point, there is no possible repair, and it’s beyond time to get new ones.
What is the Most Common Reason Gutters Fail?
Due to their relatively protected location up at the roof line, most gutters do not suffer sudden damage. Instead, they fail due to age. As time goes on, plasticized parts get brittle and metal ones corrode. At first, this type of damage can be repaired. Seamless gutter repair can even stop a multitude of leaks, and make it harder for new ones to form. Even with this, however, the time will come that there just isn’t enough of the original substance left to fix it anymore.
Because of this, gutters are typically quite old when they need to be replaced. Many make it for several decades. However, the time will eventually come, and when it does, it’s important to get a new system in place so that your foundation continued to be protected. In some cases, new gutters will also protect your walls from discoloration.
Other Reasons to Get New Gutters
Extensive storm damage is another reason you might need new gutters. In many cases, you won’t have to replace them after a storm – just reattach the existing ones to the house. However, if a tree has come through a big portion of gutter, it may have made holes or completely mangled the material. Then, your best bet is to put new sections on the affected side(s) of the house.
You also may decide to get new rain gutter installation if your existing system has been problematic for years. In that case, it’s time to get off of the repair merry-go-round and take care of the problem for good. Replace your inferior system with one that will not only hold water, but will keep doing so for many years to come. In this case, the benefit is that you won’t have to fuss with your gutters every year until the end of time, and can then use your time and energy on better things.
Finally, some people get gutter replacement mainly for appearance’s sake. An old, dented, rusty gutter system will detract from the appeal and value of your house, even if it is perfectly functional from a practical perspective. If your gutters are in this condition, getting new ones is a great way to freshen up the looks of your home and increase its curb appeal.
Final thoughts about Gutter Installation and Maintenance
When it comes to caring for your house in Surrey, make sure you add gutters to your annual home maintenance checklist This will help you be pro-active and avoid gutter issues during the rainy season and winter months in British Columbia, when you most need them.
When it’s time to get new gutters for any reason, call us at Weatherguard Gutters. Our gutter experts operate with full fall protection safety, uses man lifts to safely reach high positions, and our gutter installers are even trained in first aid. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about accidents or liability when you bring in our crew to do the work.
We also don’t have problems with unique gutter architecture or calls for less-common materials. We can make continuous gutters, create systems from copper or zinc, or provide replacement parts for smaller areas of damage. We also provide soffits, leaf protection systems, downpipes, and even siding upon request.
If you’re in the area of Surrey or other parts of metro Vancouver, contact Weatherguard Gutters today. Soon, you’ll have gutters that look great and work perfectly. You’ll love not having to fuss with any more repairs!