Why Is Water Flowing Out Of Your Home's Gutters?
Your gutters are an important part of your home's drainage system. These seemingly simple features keep the rain off your head, protect your roof, and protect your foundation. Gutter issues are among the most severe problems you can face with a roof since they can lead to water accumulating in areas where it can damage other parts of your roof or even your foundation.
Water should always run through your gutters and out your downspouts. If you notice water flowing over the top of your gutters or leaking around the edges, you may have a bigger problem than you think. Aside from allowing rain to pour down on your head when you walk along your house, these drainage malfunctions can have serious long-term implications.
What Causes Gutter Problems?
First, it's important to understand that gutter issues are roof drainage issues. Water flowing over or through your gutters may indicate trouble with your gutters, but it can also be a problem with how water drains off your roof. A thorough cleaning might be a good place to start if you don't typically maintain your gutters by cleaning them at least once yearly.
If cleaning your gutters doesn't resolve the issue, you may have one or more gutters hanging on an incorrect angle or even a break between sections. These problems can cause water to pool, overflow, or leak through the joints between gutters. Damage to the area where the hangers attach to the roof is another possibility. You'll typically need an experienced roofing contractor to identify these issues.
Why Do Roof Drainage Problems Matter?
Water flowing directly off your roof will usually collect close to your home's foundation, which can saturate the soil and increase hydrostatic pressure. Builders design foundations to account for proper drainage that moves water away from the foundation, so faulty roof drainage can potentially cause severe foundation damage over time.
Water pooling in your gutters or along the edge of your roof can also cause major problems with your roofing or even lead to interior leaks. Remember that roofs aren't waterproof. Instead, they resist water for long enough to allow it to drain away. Water that remains on one part of your roof may eventually seep below the shingles, cause damage to your decking, or leak into your home.
Should You Treat Drainage Issues As an Emergency?
If you can see water pooling around the edge of your roof or leaking through your gutters, you will want to contact a roofing contractor as soon as possible. While these problems aren't emergencies (as long as you don't currently have an interior leak), they are relatively urgent. The longer you leave these drainage problems, the higher the likelihood of damage to your roof or foundation.
Fortunately, fixing these problems is relatively easy, and a roofing contractor should be able to locate the source of the issue. In a worst-case scenario, your roof's design may lead to uneven drainage, requiring you to install a rain diverter or splash guard. However, in most cases, simple repairs to your gutter will be enough to prevent further drainage issues.
