Rain Gutter Maintenance and Adjustments
Homeowners may not put too much thought into their rain gutter system, but these channels are critical to property integrity. Funneling water from the roof to the ground, rain gutters are constantly at battle with the elements. In general, a Monmouth County roofing professional should inspect and adjust gutters at least twice a year. Consider some of the basics contractors adjust for a strong rain gutter system.
One of the most important and simple inspection areas is fascia attachment. The home’s gutters are held up by fascia boards, essentially painted wood sections. Insects and water damage usually damage the fascia over time, forcing gutter fasteners to back out or break altogether. Contractors evaluate any issues and provide an estimate for the fascia and gutter adjustments. It’s crucial to replace the damaged fascia sections entirely before reconnecting the gutters. Trying to force the gutters to attach to splintering wood is a difficult situation.
Regardless of the home’s rain gutter model, all sections attach to one another with fasteners at installation time. These fasteners may break down over time, however. Debris buildup or just heavy rain can knock fasteners loose. Homeowners will notice a steady flow of water coming from a misaligned section.
Contractors pinpoint and fix all these poor connection points to avoid water damage below the area. Some sections may even need replacement if the fastening areas are damaged beyond repair.
Gutter systems appear simple at first glance, but they actually have intricate angling. Water must flow steadily through the system without stopping. Contractors ensure each gutter section has the right angle, along with adjusting the ground outlet to funnel water away from the foundation. Puddling and water flow at the home’s foundation causes significant structural issues if not fixed immediately.
The top maintenance item for any gutter system is cleaning. Regardless of a homeowner’s diligence about pruning nearby trees, debris always finds its way into gutters. Professionals clean out all the debris and test the system for perfect water flow. Even rocks can end up blocking water up at roof level. Homeowners may want to add in a roof inspection at the same time to save on another trip for the contractor.
The roof and rain gutter system are intricately related to each other for a strong household structure. For the best drainage, hire a contractor before the winter and again in the spring. The gutters can have all the fall debris removed for winter storms and checked again before summer arrives. Keep up with gutter maintenance to see the rest of the home remain dry. Have a question regarding new roofs or roof repairs? Ask a roofing professional from Fortified Roofing of Monmouth County NJ.
Term explained by Monmouth County NJ roofing contractor Fortified Roofing:
Fascia boards
Decorative wood extending just below the roof’s edge. It provides an aesthetic for the roof along with rain gutter support points. When fascia boards succumb to damage over the years, gutters suffer with bowing or breakage.
Question and answer from Monmouth County roofing contractor Fortified Roofing:
Do rain gutters need to be removed during a reroofing project?
Each contractor has a different strategy for dealing with rain gutters, but most systems don’t need to be removed if the roof is being replaced. However, homeowners may want to take advantage of the roofing project to completely replace the gutters. Replacing both at the same time often saves on overall labor.
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