1. Visible Water Overflow

If you can physically see water overflowing from your gutters, it’s important that you do what you can to check for a clog.

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The sooner you can clear out a clog, the better. If you must wait until the water stops flowing, do your best to get to it as soon as possible.

When water overflows from your gutters rather than pouring from your downspout, it may seep into your fascia – the boards facing out beneath your roof.

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When that happens, it’s easy for mold to grow and wood to rot. Significant wood rot can even compromise your whole roof’s integrity.

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2. Unexplained Water in Your Basement

Unexplained water in your basement may be seeping in through the walls, which puts your home’s structure at risk. This often happens when gutters don’t take water away from the home via a downspout. If you don’t have a basement, you may notice that water has seeped into your foundation.

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3. Sagging or Collapsing Sections

If you notice that some sections of your gutters are sagging or collapsing, you need to have them repaired as soon as possible.

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Sagging gutters don’t force water out through a downspout; instead, the water pools there. If enough water pools there, it can become too heavy and collapse that section.

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4. Cracks or Fractures

Cracked and fractured gutters leak, which means they can’t carry away water like they’re supposed to. When that happens, water can soak the earth around your foundation. Moisture affects your home’s foundation in several negative ways, and if you have a basement, your basement can be subjected to a wide range of problems, too.

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Over time, your foundation can shift – particularly if the ground around it remains wet for an extended period. When your foundation shifts, your home can develop:

• Water leaks

• Cracks in the walls

• Cracks in the floors

• Bowed walls

• Gaps in the soil around your home

• Pools of water that won’t drain

• Cracked concrete slabs

• Cracked or falling chimney bricks

• Out-of-alignment doors that don’t close properly

• Windows that stick shut or don’t open and close properly

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The problem with these issues is that you won’t notice them until there’s already a significant amount of damage to your foundation. That’s why it’s best to prevent as many of these problems as you can – and the first step in doing so is to ensure your gutters are working properly to drain rain and snowmelt away from your foundation.

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5. Gaps Between Sections

Gaps between sections of your gutters prevent water from getting from Point A to Point B, which means it all pours down the side of your house. You’ll probably notice soil erosion and other issues in the area, and you may even have moisture problems inside your home if the water runs down your exterior walls.

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You may be able to fix the gaps yourself by using patches, but if doing so will change the pitch of your gutters or you’re not comfortable making these types of repairs, it’s best to work with a gutter repair and replacement professional.

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6. Standing Water in Your Gutters

Standing water in your gutters probably means that there’s a clog, but it can mean that the pitch is wrong, as well. Check for a clog first; then, see if the pitch looks off. It should be slightly sloped so that water inside the gutter can run freely toward your downspouts. If your gutters are improperly pitched, you’ll likely deal with standing water – and you should call a professional to correct the problem as soon as possible.

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7. Peeling Paint or Water Damage Marks on Your Fascia

When you notice peeling paint or water damage marks on your fascia (those are the boards that face outward beneath your roof’s overhang), you may have a water incursion problem. If the wood that makes up your fascia gets wet and stays wet, wood rot is right around the corner; you may end up needing roof repairs or replacement sooner rather than later.

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8. Mold Growth on Fascia 

If mold is growing on your fascia, you certainly have a moisture problem. Because mold can be so pervasive, you need to call a roofing expert immediately.

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9. Soil Erosion Beneath Your Roof Line

Eroded soil on the ground, directly beneath your roof line, indicates that water is running right off your roof and onto the ground. This can pose a big threat to your home’s foundation, so you should call an expert to evaluate your gutter system as soon as possible.

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10. Nails or Screws in Your Gutters, Near Your Downspouts or in Your Yard

If you find nails or screws in your gutters, near your downspouts or in your yard, there’s a good chance that parts of your gutters are becoming unfastened. Try to figure out where these fasteners came from; if you can’t, you should have a professional inspect your roof as soon as possible.

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Additionally, if it’s been a while since your last roof inspection, you should schedule one with New View Roofing today. Our team of experts offers free annual roof inspections, and during each one, we check out the gutters to ensure they’re protecting your home like they should.