Have you thought of having an addition added to your home? Maybe you've considered adding a bathroom in a large hallway. Hiring contractors to make this sort of changes in your home is a way of experiencing growth. You've realized that your home no longer fits your life, and you want to expand it.
Making the decision to add on to your home, or to have any other type of construction work done, is a lot easier when you know a little about construction work. You can learn enough to inform yourself on this blog. We'll venture beyond the basics and into lots of great details.
How To Tell If A Gutter System Requires Repairs
Doing residential gutter system repair promptly can protect your investment in your house. Damaged gutters can allow water to get into the structure, especially at the foundation. How do you determine if home gutter system repair work is necessary, though? Use this checklist to inspect the system for damage.
Staining or Fading
Especially if the wind is likely to blow the water toward the home's walls, there's a good chance that a damaged area will leak water onto the building. Over time, this can cause the paint in the affected area to either stain or fade. The damage should concentrate toward the top while spreading out and weakening further down the wall. This is a sign that there's a hole or gap somewhere in the gutter system.
Peeling Paint
The same problem from the previous section can also cause the paint to peel. Additional moisture in the paint or underlying materials can cause the paint to separate. Different sections will separate at different rates, leaving the paint peeled.
Mildew
Wherever there is water, there is some chance of mildew growing. Particularly if there isn't a lot of wind on the affected side of the house, drying can take a while. You may see mildew growing on the side of the building near the damaged part of the gutters.
Ground Depressions
As the water comes down from a hole in the gutters, it can erode the soil. Depending on the intensity of the leak and the distance from the gutters, this could create a depression in the ground. The depression will likely run the whole way from the affected area down the hill. In some cases, the flowing water may also collect small rocks and deposit them further down the length of the depression.
Sagging Gutters
Gutters move. Everything from high winds to the house settling can cause gutters to sag or misalign. When you visually inspect the gutters, you should see a straight line. If the gutters have moved enough that you can tell they aren't aligned, it's time to call a residential rain gutter repair technician.
Foundation Damage
This is the worst-case scenario. Water has reached the foundation, found at least one crack, and done damage. There are other possible causes of foundation trouble so you'll want to look for other potential sources. However, you should suspect a problem with the gutters if the foundation damage aligns with them.
To learn more about residential gutter system repair, reach out to a professional near you.