Water overflow might sound harmless, but it can be a serious problem for your home. Excess water can damage your roof and siding, weakening the structural integrity of your exterior and making it prone to further water damage and mold. The most common reasons for gutter overflow typically involve excess debris, excess rainwater, and a misaligned gutter system. Nevertheless, all these issues are fixable, and there are steps you can take to prevent overflow from happening again.
Excess Debris
One of the biggest contributors to clogged rain gutters is excess debris. Weather and animals bring leaves, twigs, and other debris to your gutters and downspouts to the point where rain can’t flow through. Fortunately, one of the easiest ways to stop this is to install a gutter guard. A mesh or foam gutter guard prevents debris from obstructing waterflow.
Misalignment
Your rain gutters are positioned by their pitch and tilt. Your gutters may be tilted away from your house, which can lead to an overflow during a storm. Similarly, the pitch can be too steep, which can also lead to an overflow. Water can gather in one spot if the pitch is off because it won’t have a way to get to the downspout.
Too Much Rain
Sometimes, there’s simply too much rain for your gutters to handle at a given time. Depending on the type of gutters you have, they may or may not be able to handle intense storms. More durable gutter materials, such as stainless steel and copper, can handle heavy rain without issues, but more cost-effective materials—vinyl, aluminum, or wood—are relatively weaker, and they can sag or break due to intense weather conditions.
Not Enough Gutters or Downspouts
You simply may not have enough gutters on all sides of your home. Consider replacing or adding to your current gutter system to ensure all sides are covered. Make sure there are enough downspouts for the water to escape, too. Otherwise, you face the risk of excess water hitting your siding, door, fascia, and foundation.
Here at Gutter Maid, we offer premium gutter cleaning in Frederick, Maryland. Check out some of our top services, including leaf protection, gutter installation, and debris removal, to keep your rain gutters clean and protected.