Plain and simple, roof gutters are intended to drain rain water properly and effectively, but the question remains, if I have standing water in my gutters, what do I do? Is it normal to have standing water in my gutters? What happens if water sits in gutters for a long time?
You’ll have your questions answered in this article. The way a normal gutter should work is that rainwater should flow from the roof to the downspout that then moves the water away from the house foundation. In short, there should NEVER be any amount of standing water in your gutters.
When there is standing water in your gutters, the end result can be mold growth as well as even insect and pest control problems. When there is too much water in gutters, the weight can become excessive and eventually gutters will pull away from the home fascia.
Keep in mind that any amount of standing or stagnant water around the home structure anywhere on the property itself is never a good thing. Particularly of concern, is when roof gutters have water consistently pooling in them. This is especially a major concern during the winter months, where pockets of ice will eventually damage the walls of the gutter as well as the metal seams that keep them together.
This is typically the result of the ice contraction of expansion cycle. During the summer months, when water pooling is present, the gutters become an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, that are known to spread disease.
Making the problem worse, birds naturally are attracted to the water because it contains insects and their larvae. When these birds leave their droppings in the water, the end result is even more bacteria and unhealthy conditions adding up all around your home.
These reasons alone should be a strong motivator to repair the problems causing standing water issues around your home, as soon as possible.
As is often the situation with a number of different home maintenance related issues, knowing what causes gutter and roof problems will help you make the most appropriate repair. In fact, there are three primary causes of standing water issues related to roof gutters:
Especially true with bigger homes, improper roof pitch can result in the formation of flat spots where ever there are long stretches of gutter. When this happens remedy is not possible even by re pitching in one direction or another.
In most cases, the ideal solution is to simply install an additional downspout in the location where the problem is present. This will facilitate the draining of any accumulation of standing water. For rainwater to properly flow when entering into down spouts, it is essential for gutter pitch to be correct. The accepted standard pitch for the majority of gutters in use today should be approximately for about every 10 feet of gutter run, be a slope of about 1/4 inch.
If standing water is present in gutters that are otherwise clean following a rainstorm, then re-pitching is the best solution. Standing water is likely to result any time there is 1/4 inch of slope per 10 feet of gutter or less.
The best way to guarantee that gutters are properly draining is to inspect the gutter system using a ladder following a heavy rain. Improper sloping can be clearly identified anytime water is indeed pooling in the corners of the gutter system where there is no debris detected. The most effective remedy for this issue is to properly pitch the gutter section in question using a leveler.
In some cases, all that is required is to bend the hanger to produce adequate slope. If this is not possible, it may be necessary to remove sections of the gutter and then rehang it properly.
That said, working with a professional contractor or trained technician is always the best way to handle the problem. This is especially true if your system features seamless gutters.
In this particular situation, there is likely a situation that is resulting in the hangers that attach the rain gutters to the fascia of the home to not function properly. Something has likely caused them to separate from the fascia such as too much weight as the result of excessive debris from small branches or leaves. This results in the hardware being pulled on by too much weight.
In addition, even if hangers are not spaced properly at the time of installation, over time, the middle section of the gutters will eventually sag. This is yet another case where pooling water will become an issue. Also note that when vinyl or aluminum gutter systems that are made of thin gauge material are exposed to heavy loads, they will also eventually bend or sag.
One of the most common reasons for large amounts of standing water in a gutter system is simply because the gutters are clogged. In most cases this is the result of debris such as small branches and leaves creating a blockage or a damn along the gutter runs.
This ultimately stops water from flowing freely and never entering the downspouts. It can even result in blockage in the downspouts and undetected clogging. In some cases, it is simple to add trap screens at the top of the downspout, that can be cleaned at anytime to fix the problem. However, in many cases the entire downspout must be power flushed. This is particularly true if your downspouts have not been serviced in a long time. This is genuinely one of the most discovered problems that causes modern gutter systems to clog.
If left uncorrected, downspouts that are clogged may eventually result in gutters filling up with standing water. The result can become a roof that is seriously damaged as well as even damage to the foundation or siding of the home. This damage can be the result of water that flows over the sides of the gutter system.
The easiest way to stop gutter standing water from causing problems, is to make it standard practice to routinely clean out gutters two times each year. They should be cleaned once during the fall months after leaves have fallen and another time during the spring months to remove any bird nesting or pine needles that may accumulate.
Homeowners can clean their gutters on their own or hire a professional gutter company in The Woodlands or your specific region. Either way it should be done. For gutters that are heavily clogged, it may be worth installing a commercially available type gutter guard. This is an excellent solution for homes that are built in areas which are heavily wooded. Best of all, any homeowner can easily install a modern gutter guard.
It helps to reduce the necessity for cleaning gutters. In addition, these gutter guards will allow water to easily drain from a home roof as it normally does, while trapping debris so that clogging does not occur.
This simple solution for gutters, will keep downspouts always clear and free of blockage. The screens can ultimately prevent standing water from becoming an issue on your home.
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My cousin has been thinking about getting some gutter maintenance because she has noticed a lot of leaks. She would really like to get some help from a professional in order to be safer. It was interesting to learn about how standing water can damage the gutter if it builds up because of clogs.