Eavestroughs have a pretty simple mandate: Catch the water that runs off the roof of your home, be it in Milton, Oakville, Burlington or Toronto and channel it to the downspouts. Rocket science it’s not. But eavestroughs are only as effective as the job that was done to install them. Hire a discount or unqualified contractor to handle your eavestrough installation and you’re opening yourself up for a host of problems that can begin almost as soon as you’ve paid the installation bill and continue for years afterward. In this post we’ll look at some of those common problems that can be averted if you have your eavestrough installation handled by the pros at Alliance Trust.
The Importance of Quality Eavestrough Installation
Eavestroughs may seem like no big deal but poorly installed eavestroughs can cause a rash of problems that can lead to leaky roofs, unwanted pests invading your home, electrical problems, water in the basement and more. Below are some common problems with gutters that are often the result of poor or discount installations.
- The gutters become clogged: The most common of all gutter problems is also one that will wreak havoc with your home if it’s not cleared up quickly. Better yet avoid the problem altogether by having your eavestroughs professionally installed, including proper gutter guards, to prevent the eavestrough from becoming clogged in the first place. Discount installers often skip this feature in an effort to save money.
- Weak joins: Sections of eavestrough come together at what are called “joins”. If these joins are done quickly or haphazardly by inexperienced or poorly trained installers the sections of gutter can begin to separate almost as soon as the caulk is dry. The result will be water on the ground next to your foundation that may lead to excessive hydrostatic pressure on the foundation walls and water in the basement.
- Gutters hung at the wrong angle: Gutters need to be hung at the proper angle so that water that enters them can be moved quickly and effectively toward the downspout. If the angle is too shallow water will stagnate in the eavestrough. If it’s too steep the downspout can become overwhelmed and water will spill over onto the ground. Hanging eavestroughs at the wrong angle is a common mistake less experienced installers will make.
- Gutters coming loose from the house: If you look up and notice your eavestrough is hanging precipitously off the house it’s because they weren’t secured properly to the fascia. This is another problem that often pops up as the result of discount eavestrough installation. Discount installers try and cut corners by not using enough hangers. But improperly supported gutters can start pulling away from the house after only a few heavy rain events.
- Downspouts depositing water next to the house: Eavestroughs and downspouts were invented to protect the foundation of the house. If all the water from the roof were allowed to cascade down to the ground around the foundation the house would have major basement flooding issues and perhaps become unstable as well. If the downspouts are too short and dumping water right next to the foundation you might as well not have an eavestrough system. This is another mistake made by companies trying to install gutters on the cheap.
Eavestrough installation is not a glamorous subject but having it done properly is crucial to the overall health of your largest investment, your home. Make sure when you need gutter repair or replacement that you choose the company more people in Milton, Oakville, Burlington and Toronto choose to do the job right: Alliance Trust Aluminum Inc.
