How do you know it’s time to replace your gutters? Rain gutters are one of those items that are not always top of mind for home owners and property managers, yet they play such a vital role in protecting your home, strata or business complex from water damage. Depending on where you live in metro Vancouver, you have different environmental factors that play into the life and maintenance of your gutter system.

Here are 5 signs that we think will help you determine whether gutter replacement is necessary:

5 signs for gutter replacement - vancouver gutters with standing water

1. There is standing water in your gutter system.

Over time, gutters can go out of alignment due to settling of the home, heavy snow loads and/or icy condition during the winter time. When water is trapped in the gutters under freezing conditions it can cause the gutters to pull away and/or damage the sealant used in the corners. This is especially relevant for residents of the North Shore as well as many areas in Surrey and Langley.

2. Water is pouring over the side of the gutters.

These first two factors could mean that the gutters need cleaning or maintenance, but in combination with the other signs this can mean you need to replace the system completely.

3. Leaking corners.

While it is possible to repair some corners, it can be very difficult to do well and is often done poorly (if you’ve ever tried to fix a leaking corner you will know what we mean). If most or all of your corners are leaking it may be due to cheap or incorrect sealant, or improper application. Corners that are leaking on old gutters may not be fixable. For gutters only a few years old, leaking corners are completely unacceptable and should be warranted by the company that was contracted to do the installation, period.

4. Rusty gutters.

When property owners can clearly see rust forming on the gutters, it is often because the material used is of low quality (perhaps imported from offshore.) In some cases it can be the result of an acid wash used on cedar shake roofs. In either case rusting gutters means that things have deteriorated beyond repair and must be replaced.

5. Hidden Gutter Repair (Aging gutter systems)

Homeowners who have hidden gutters tend to forget about maintenance because they last so long. But left unchecked, replacing them is a major expense. If you don’t know what kind of gutter system you have, check our Gutter 101 page to learn more. The older your gutter system, the more likely it is to have problems. Also the older it is the more difficult it is to repair and less likely it is to remain fixed.

If you are seeing similar problems to the ones described above, give us a call or schedule a free consultation anytime, and we will help you choose the right gutter system for your home.