When Does Eavestroughing Need Replacement?

By support@brinkunlimited.com | July 20, 2022

How can you tell whether your eavestrough pipes need to be replaced? If your eavestrough has to be replaced, it’s easy to detect. Did you know eavestroughs have a 10- to 14-year lifespan? The condition of exposed wood or metal might demonstrate this visually. Weather conditions, material type, and installation quality are all factors that influence how long your existing eavestrough will last. However, if you’ve been watching the weather reports lately, you’ll know that Ottawa has had a lot of rain this autumn, which means it’s an excellent time to consider your eavestrough. Choosing a new eavestrough, for whatever reason, is a major decision that a specialist should guide. You can hire an Ottawa eavestrough repair service to help you through the repair process.

Most homeowners have a basic understanding of what their eavestroughs do and why they’re essential. A home’s roofing system is designed to funnel water away from the house, which is done through the eavestrough. When you get right down to it, eavestroughs are a pretty simple piece of home improvement. Most roofs have them, and they work on their own most of the time. Trees in your yard can get big, removing the need for an eavestrough. But an eavestrough does more than keep the rain out of your basement. With time and exposure to the elements, your eavestrough will deteriorate, shrinking away from overhangs as rust and water damage set in your house. The surrounding landscape will buckle under the pressure of nearby trees snapping off weak eavestroughs.

Do You Know When It’s Time To Replace The Old Eavestrough?

Eavestroughs play a vital role in protecting the exterior of your home from water damage. If your eavestrough is cracked, damaged, or full of holes, you could be setting yourself up for an expensive repair bill. If the leaf guard on your gutter system is damaged or missing, it can allow debris to collect in your eavestrough and clog downspouts. It can cause water to back up and overflow, which will eventually lead to erosion and can cause damage to the fascia board and soffit. It would help if you inspected your eavestrough every year to ensure it was adequately draining water away from your home. If they aren’t, it is time to get them replaced.

Here are some signs that will tell you when you need a new eavestrough:

How Old Is It?

The lifespan of an eavestrough will depend on what material it’s made from and how well it was installed. For example, seamless aluminum gutters can last for more than 20 years, while vinyl may only hold up for 15 years or less. The best way to know whether your gutters need replacement is to ask the professionals who installed them. They’ll be able to assess their condition and let you know if they’ll require repair or a full-on replacement. If they can’t be saved, it’s time to look into new ones.

Cracking

The average lifespan of a vinyl eavestrough is 10–15 years, while aluminum can last 25 years. Suppose you have a plastic or vinyl eavestrough. It’s likely that the material has cracked or split over the years. And if you have aluminum eaves, look for dents and damage from hail or tree branches.

Damage From Critters

Do your gutters have holes or damage from squirrels or other rodents? If so, you could be looking at water leaking into your home and causing damage to siding, trim, fascia, soffit, and even the roof itself. For these reasons alone, new eavestroughs that eliminate the damage are advisable.

Sagging Or Leaning Gutters

Heavy snowfall can cause old eavestroughs to sag and eventually fall off the house. While this is dangerous for pedestrians below, it could cause severe damage to shingles and siding if left unattended. If you see any signs of sag, a replacement should be considered.

Is It Leaking?

Leaks are a surefire sign that your gutter system needs attention right away. If left unchecked, leaks can cause severe damage to your home’s foundation by eroding the soil around it and causing flooding in the basement or crawl space. Leaky gutters may also lead to cracks in your ceiling or walls as moisture gets into the framing of your house, leading to mold problems.

How Much Will It Cost?

A good rule of thumb is that the more work needs to be done, the higher the cost. For example, if you need new pipes, downspouts, and eavestrough, it will cost more than replacing eavestrough sections. The average cost of installing eavestroughs in Toronto ranges from $3 to $35 per linear foot. Your total project cost will depend on the size of your roof and how much eavestrough you need to cover its entire length. In general, expect to pay anywhere from $30–$50 per linear foot for eavestrough replacement. If you have a two-story home, adding scaffolding could increase costs by $700–$1,000. The price of eavestroughs is affected by many factors, including:

Size: Larger buildings will require more eavestroughing materials, which means a higher cost.
Type of materials used: Copper and aluminum are popular choices because they’re durable and affordable. Stainless steel is also quite common, but it’s more expensive. Vinyl and plastic are typically the cheapest options.
Complexity: The more complicated your roof is, the longer it will take to install the eavestroughs. The more time it takes, the higher your labor costs will be.
Accessibility: If your roof is easy to access, installation is faster and cheaper than if your roof is difficult to access.

The roof is the essential part of your house. It helps protect you from the elements and keeps you and your property dry during heavy rains and snow. Your eaves are an essential part of your roofing system. They divert water from your roof away from the foundation, where it can cause damage to the structure of your home, not to mention wet basements and crawl spaces. Eavestrough is one of those things that doesn’t typically cross our minds until we notice a problem. But if you live in an older home or have been a long time since they were last replaced, there are signs to look for that will alert you when it’s time to replace them. Once you see the need to repair your eavestrough, you can contact https://mentorhomes.ca/eavestrough-repair-ottawa/.

Mentor Homes Eavestrough and Siding, 17 Langholm Crescent Nepean Ontario K2J 1H1, (613) 703-9022