Your home’s rain eavestroughs are vital to the health of your home, even though they usually are the part of your home that remains “out of sight, out of mind”. Eavestroughs require regular maintenance, but if they are overlooked, they will cause serious problems to your home and will become costly. So the next time you are doing outdoor renovations make sure you inquire about the condition of your eavestroughs.
The purpose of eavestroughs
Rain can wreak havoc on your home, especially on your windows, doors, siding and foundation. Rain eavestroughs have one specific job – to divert water away from your home. Without the proper eavestroughs, you could end up with some serious damages to your home. Eavestroughs will eliminate the water from pooling around the foundation of your house and seep into areas it shouldn’t and cause extensive water issues.
The eavestroughs also protect your home’s foundation and prevent erosion, prevent basement flooding and protect your landscaping. They will also prevent any staining to the exterior of your home and stop mildew and mold growth.
When to replace the eavestroughs?
Most eavestrough systems, including galvanized steel and aluminum eavestroughs, have an expected lifespan of 20 years. Your roof eavestroughs should be cleaned twice a year in your outdoor renovations to guarantee proper working condition and to identify any issues before they turn into major problems. Let us shed some light on the signs that you can look out for which would alert you that a replacement is warranted.
Cracks and splits
For one thing, make sure that you clean the eavestrough regularly. During cleaning, pay exquisite attention, and observe the eavestrough to detect the presence of any cracks or splits. You might think that a certain crack is too small to cause any real damage. However, these cracks can grow over time and cause problems. It is crucial that the large cracks and splits are dealt with promptly.
Peeling paint
Peeling paint is more than just an unattractive sight for your house. Galvanized steel eavestroughs have paint coating to prevent water and moisture from rusting them. When this paint begins to peel off, you need to realize that there is a great likelihood that humidity has started doing the damage and the eavestrough needs to be replaced.
Rusted areas
The risk of rusting is not present in all types of eavestroughs. However, if the eavestrough of your house is made from galvanized steel, this is something that you need to think about. Look for orange coloring in the areas of eavestrough along with other signs of rust. Their presence should let you know that the time has come to get a new eavestrough for your house.
Water damage
It is advisable to clean the eavestrough on a sunny day. This would ensure that you are able to see any signs of water damage around it. Look for puddles of water or mold growth. This would tell you that your eavestrough is not doing its work properly.
Sagging eavestroughs
Eavestroughs that have started to sag need to be replaced. Eavestroughs sag when they become heavy or excessively filled with water. A sagging eavestrough would not perform its function correctly.
Types of Eavestroughs
The most suitable eavestrough for your house would be the one that moves the water quickly and efficiently so that the foundation remains protected. Let us discuss 3 common types of eavestroughs you can find so that the next time you need to do some outdoor renovations of your house, you know what to look for.
Vinyl eavestroughs
These are among the most popular choice due to their affordability. Vinyl eavestroughs are an economical option as they do not cost much. Furthermore, as long as they are in good shape, they move water away from the foundation quite effectively. You do not have to worry about the eavestrough rusting or corroding with this material.
However, if you reside in an area with extreme weather, vinyl would not be the right choice. Vinyl can crack with time in the cold and thus would have to be replaced within a short span. In addition to this, if vinyl is not installed properly, the eavestrough can get sagged in no time.
Those living in a temperate climate will find vinyl eavestroughs to be quite convenient.
Aluminum eavestroughs
These eavestroughs are quite light in weight and convenient to work with. Furthermore, they are rust-proof. They are weather-resistant as well and therefore, can be installed in areas with cold climate. You can also paint aluminum eavestrough if you would like.
The problem with aluminum eavestroughs is that they can dent easily and thus are not stable structurally. They would have to be replaced sooner than you expect.
Stainless steel eavestroughs
These are perhaps the sturdiest eavestroughs you can opt for. They are ideal for houses in Canada as they can withstand harsh weather condition and thus are durable. They will not be damaged in heavy rain or snow and will not rust. Stainless steel eavestroughs will last for years. The thing you need to keep in mind is that they are quite expensive.
Final words
The decision as to which eavestrough would work best for your house depends on a variety of factors. The type of climate your area has, the extent of durability you are looking for, and the amount of money you are willing to spend.
However, while deciding on the budget of the eavestrough system of your house during outdoor renovations, there are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind. You need to look at the bigger picture. Do you want an eavestrough that would last or are you satisfied with something that would have to be replaced within a short span? The thing is, the eavestrough system is crucial for the foundation of your house and therefore, vital for the safety of your property. You would not want to jeopardize everything owing to a wrong decision. Therefore, make sure that you select the type of eavestrough which lasts for a long time and is suitable for your house according to the climatic conditions. Do not make a decision that you would have to regret later. The loss might just not be monetary.
