Some areas in North Carolina are getting hit with pretty cold temperatures, which ushers in frost, ice, and snow. What happens when your gutters fill up with these types of precipitation? Can they overflow? How do they work properly if they’re full of ice or snow?
At Alamance Insulation and Gutters, we’ve got all your insulation and gutter needs covered. Serving areas in central North Carolina such as Greensboro, Burlington, Mebane, Hillsborough, and High Point, we provide excellent services and products to our loyal customers. One service we offer is installing gutters. There are many questions when it comes to installing and cleaning gutters, and generally making sure you’ve chosen the right gutters for your home.
Many home or business owners worry about their gutters overflowing, and for good reason. How do you know if your gutters are overflowing? If you notice that pools of water gather under the eaves of your roof, or that the siding on one side of your home is discolored, your gutters are most likely overflowing. There are several things that can cause this.
First, if debris is clogging up your gutter and/or your downspout flow, this can definitely cause your gutters to overflow. Debris can clog your gutters in the form of leaves, sticks, children’s toys, and litter like plastic bags. This is the most common reason for overflowing gutters, and it’s also pretty easy to fix. You can use a leaf blower and push out the debris, which will save you time from manually scooping out the debris. Or, you might use a power hose to blow out the debris. If you don’t want the debris to be blown out into your yard, you can always clean the debris by hand. All you need is a ladder, a bucket or container, some gloves, and a scoop. Once you’ve cleaned out the debris, make sure to wash the gutter and downspouts with a hose to get rid of the leftover dirt.
Another reason your gutters might be overflowing is because they may not be positioned correctly. The tilt and pitch of your gutters can make a huge difference. If the gutter is tilting away from your house, it might be causing an overflow during rainstorms. If the pitch of your gutter is too steep, this may also contribute to overflowing gutters. If the pitch of your gutter is not steep enough, though, this can still cause overflowing.
A third reason your gutters might be overflowing is that your gutters may not be big enough to handle the amount of rain you’re getting. If you notice an overflow in your gutters after storms especially, you might need bigger gutters.
If you have questions about your gutters, please don’t hesitate to contact Alamance Insulation and Gutters. We’re happy to help!