Thinking About Gutter Guards for a home on a hillside lot in Western Pennsylvania?
The crew at The Roofing Company will walk you through troughs, downspouts and the ground they drain onto
Phone 412-858-8858 and describe what the roof edge is doing
Follow the Water Off the Roof: Catch, Carry, Release
Rain that is not caught at the roof edge falls on the walls, the windows and the soil along the foundation; the trough, the hangers and the downspouts all have to work together.
Dripping from the edge of a gutter line is an early sign that something upstream is not working; a quick look during a rain shows more than a look on a dry day.
Your search for Gutter Guards is a good time to take photographs of every problem spot; pictures taken in the rain are the most useful of all.
Freeze-Thaw at the Roof Edge: Understanding the Wear
Meltwater from a warm roof refreezes where it meets the cold overhang, and the ice can pile up along the edge for weeks; a downspout packed with ice cannot carry water away.
Ice at the roof edge is often a sign of heat loss from the attic, which melts snow from below and sends water to the cold eave; sealing and insulating the attic floor reduces the melting.
A sensible plan for Gutter Guards takes account of snow load, closely spaced hangers and downspouts that can drain when it is cold; compare what each proposal says about winter.
Choosing the Style of the Trough: How They Differ
A one-piece trough is cut to the length of the roof edge, which leaves fewer places for a drip or a leak to start; a long single run needs hangers close enough to keep it from sagging.
Aluminum is light, does not rust and comes in many colors, though it can dent when a ladder leans on it or a branch falls; heavier gauge metal holds its shape better under snow.
The trough needs a slight fall toward the downspout, and a crew can check it with a level or by watching water run; standing water in a trough means the slope is wrong.
A thorough proposal for Gutter Guards describes the trough, the hangers and the downspouts piece by piece; ask what the crew would hang on a house like yours.
Fasteners, Brackets and Wood, From the Wall Out
Fascia boards that stay damp behind a leaking gutter rot from the inside, and the damage shows only when the trough pulls away; a trough pulling away at one end is a warning.
A strip of metal at the edge of the roof directs water into the gutter, and where it is missing, water can run down the fascia; ice and water barrier at the eave adds protection for the roof deck.
Before you settle on Gutter Guards, find out what will happen if rotted wood is found behind the old gutters; the edge of the roof is sometimes in worse shape than it looks.
Leaves, Debris and Guards, Type by Type
A clogged gutter overflows at the first heavy rain, and wet debris sprouts weeds and adds weight to the hangers; a gutter full of mud may be holding moisture against the fascia.
Gutter guards are covers of mesh, metal or foam that let water in and keep most large debris out of the trough; heavy snow can sit on a guard and slow the melting.
Installation matters as much as product, because a guard has to match the roof pitch, the shingle edge and the width of the trough; ask whether the guard can be lifted for cleaning.
Anyone weighing Gutter Guards should think about the trees around the house and how much debris the roof collects; compare how each option is cleaned.
Getting Water Away From the House: Extensions and Drainage
Many basement leaks start outside, where a downspout empties beside the wall and soaks the soil all season; check the outlet during a rainstorm.
Underground drain lines that once took roof water away can fill with debris or collapse, which sends water back up the downspout; drains that tie into a sewer line should be sorted out before changes are made.
Anyone considering Gutter Guards should ask what will be done with the water at the foot of each downspout; point out any basement that takes on water.
What Older Homes Hide at the Eaves, and How to Prepare
Built-in gutters are lined with metal or a membrane, and when the lining wears out, water leaks into the wall behind the cornice; a leak may show up as a stain far from the source.
Gutter work on an older house should leave the roof edge level, sound and tight before anything new is fastened to it; get any change to the plan in writing.
Thinking about Gutter Guards on an older home means planning for what cannot be seen from the ground; a straight answer now avoids arguments later.
Order of Work Along the Roof Edge, From Start to Cleanup
Before new work starts, the old troughs come down, the fascia is checked and any bad boards are replaced; weather decides when each step can happen.
After preparation the new gutters are formed or cut, hung at the right slope and joined, and the downspouts are attached and secured; the yard is swept for nails and scraps.
- Will the old gutters be removed or left in place, and what do you recommend?
- What happens where two roof levels meet, and what happens if something goes wrong?
Keeping Gutters Working Season by Season, Spring and Fall
Look at the gutters during a rainstorm, since sagging, dripping and overflowing are easiest to see while the water is flowing; avoid chipping at ice with sharp tools.
A gutter line that is checked in spring and fall and kept clear tends to outlast one that nobody looks at; ask a roofer to show you what to watch.
Before you decide on Gutter Guards, ask how the gutters will be looked at in future seasons; a line that is looked after tends to cause fewer problems.
When You Are Ready to Talk: a Simple First Step
Choosing and hanging gutters is a modest project, and the quality of the details sets the result; the next step is a simple one.
Dial 412-858-8858 and tell us what you have in mind for Gutter Guards; we can begin with a look at the gutters as they stand.
