Why is My Gutter Overflowing?

If you’re a homeowner, there’s a chance you already know that your gutter system is an important feature on your home’s exterior. Not only do your gutters collect rainwater and divert it away from your home through its downspouts, but it also helps prevent excess amounts of rainwater from seeping into your surrounding property and your foundation.

However, when your gutters aren’t working properly, you may begin to notice signs such as overflowing water, that can indicate damage has occurred somewhere along the system. As a result, you can run the risk of causing damage to your home and its foundation. Therefore, it’s important that homeowners take action to fix their gutter system as soon as possible to avoid paying for unexpected repairs, especially when you’ve begun noticing overflowing water. 

You may be wondering, what is causing your gutters to overflow? Keep reading to learn more about the root of the problem and for some tips to help remedy the issue quickly and effectively. 

Why is my gutter overflowing?

Regardless of whether it’s raining heavily or not, your gutters are meant to collect rainwater and direct it away from your home. However, over time your gutters are prone to collecting fallen leaves, branches, dirt, and other debris that can sit in your gutter system, causing it to potentially clog – especially if you don’t have gutter guards installed.

When your gutters become clogged, they may be unable to direct collected rainwater into the downspouts. Instead, the water often sits where it is collected until it overflows – which is not what gutters are designed to do. And while this may not appear to be a significant problem that needs immediate fixing, if left for too long, it can end up costing you a lot of money in repairs.

What Happens if Your Gutter System Overflows?

Failing to fix your gutters in a timely manner can lead to some potential issues including:

• Damage to your home’s siding such as staining, chipped paint, and fading.
• Cracked concrete surrounding your home such as your driveway and walkways.
• Flooding and leaks in your basement as water seeps into the cracks around your home.
• Ruined landscaping. 
• Damage to your roof and upper levels of your home such as staining, leaks, and flooding.
• Damage to your gutters including detachment from your home and sagging which can lead to cracks and more harm.

How to Improve Your Gutter Drainage

Now that you’re aware of the potential concerns caused by overflowing gutters, let’s take a look at how you can improve your gutter drainage to help prevent further damage from occurring.

1. Tend to Your Gutters Year Round

One of the first methods that can help you avoid overflowing gutters is to tend to your gutter system year-round. Whether that’s hiring a professional company to remove the built-up debris a couple of times a year or doing it yourself, by removing fallen leaves, branches, mud, and anything else that has collected over time, you can help avoid heavy clogging.

2. Check the Angle of Your Gutters

Gutters are installed at a slight angle, so they can direct water downwards, and towards the downspouts. However, over time, the angle can change due to excess water collection, causing the water to spill. Therefore, make sure your gutters are secured to your home, and haven’t shifted to ensure the water can flow properly

3. Install New LeafGuard® Gutters

If the damage is already done, then it may be time to install new gutters on your home. Typically, you will be able to tell if your gutters are at the end of their lifetime if they are leaking, have detached from your home, are sagging due to heavy water collection, or have several cracks and holes in them.

If this is the case, then it might be better to invest in a new gutter system to avoid more damage in the future. In addition, if you want to avoid paying for a professional company to clean your gutters throughout the year and save yourself the hassle of cleaning them out yourself, you may want to consider installing new LeafGuard® gutters.

LeafGuard® gutters are designed to prevent fallen leaves, branches, and other debris from collecting and clogging up your gutter system. As a result, you won’t have to worry about hiring a professional cleaning company or setting up a ladder yourself to remove any debris throughout the year.

Some other benefits of installing LeafGuard® gutters include:

• A one-piece gutter design constructed of thick, durable aluminum to ensure they remain protected and function optimally against all types of weather conditions.
• LeafGuard® gutters are designed to keep out leaves, fir needles, pine needles, and other debris with a lifetime, clog-free guarantee.
• LeafGuard® gutters are customized specifically to your home to ensure a seamless installation.
• LeafGuard® gutters are painted with heavy duty paint that will not peel, rot, crack, or rust to help ensure your curbside appeal remains refined and clean all year round.
• Investing in a high-quality gutter system now, may save you time, money, and hassle in the future.
• LeafGuard® gutter systems require less maintenance throughout the year since you will no longer have to worry about cleaning your gutters. 

If your current gutters are damaged or overflowing and you’re interested in installing new LeafGuard® gutters on your home, book your free consultation today with Local Home Pro to get started on your new gutter project!