Assessing Gutter Damage After a Storm
The Portland area is no stranger to powerful storms.
Our active weather tends to take place in the fall, but strong winds and heavy rains can roll through just about any time of the year. With any luck, your home will make it through these storms without any notable damage, but that is not always the case. If a storm does manage to damage your home, including your gutter system, assessing the situation as soon as possible after the storm is gone is an important step. Let’s use this blog to talk about what you should be looking for regarding gutter storm damage, and when you should turn to a professional team like Stumptown Gutters for help.
Start with the Obvious
Major gutter damage is going to be easy to spot, even from ground level. Just take a walk around your home and visually inspect the gutters to make sure they still look like they are firmly attached to the roof. Are there any spots where the gutter has pulled away from the house? Also, walk up to the downspouts and check them with your hands. They should still be secured in place and not easy to wiggle around. If you find any obvious damage that your gutter system has sustained, reach out to Stumptown Gutters to have the problem fixed right away before any water damage occurs.
Paying Closer Attention
It will only take a matter of minutes to check for serious storm damage that has caused a failure of your gutter system. However, not all storm damage will be so obvious, and even minor issues can lead to problems with water pooling up around your home later on. So, after you’ve done an initial check, spend some more time looking for signs of the following –
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Small cracks in the gutter. If your gutter was hit by something like a falling branch during the storm, it’s possible that the gutter was cracked and will now leak water the next time it rains. You can either use a hose to spray water up on the roof and watch for leaks, or you can just wait for the next rainy day and head out under an umbrella to observe. Even small cracks should be addressed promptly to keep water from getting into places where it shouldn’t be.
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Signs of debris collection. Depending on what time of year it is when a storm arrives, it’s possible that large amounts of debris will come out of nearby trees and into your gutters. Even if you don’t want to get up on a ladder, you can sometimes spot signs of debris from ground level. Specifically, if you see a lot of debris on the roof itself, you can be sure that plenty is in the gutters – and what is on the roof will likely make its way into the gutters soon enough. In this case, it might be a gutter cleaning rather than a gutter repair that is in order.
Stumptown Gutters is a trusted gutter contractor serving customers in and around Portland, Oregon. Reach out today for more information or to make your appointment. We are ready to serve you right away!
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