Your shingles are not the only part of your roof you need to keep an eye on, your gutters, soffits and fascia may need TLC as well. Your Mid-Missouri roof and its gutters, soffits and facia need regular up-keep and can be damaged by weather and old age just like your roof.
Identifying damage to your Gutters, Soffits & Fascia
Gutters are made from a soft metal, so they can become dented relatively easily by hail and falling branches. If your shingles have any indicators of hail damage, chances are your gutters are damaged too. Typically dents in your gutters are just cosmetic and your gutters will still drain water properly, however if the gutters are loose or bent then the water may not be going where it needs to.
Damages to the soffits and fascia of your home are less common because the soffit is attached to the eave and mostly protected by the roof, and the fascia is behind the gutters. However, older homes may have wood soffits or fascia that can become rotted and weak over time. So, don’t forget to check up on your soffits and fascia when considering other exterior renovation.
Gutter cleaning and Gutter Guards
Most of the time if your gutters seem to be draining slowly, it is not actually damaged, but just needs a good cleaning. In Mid-Missouri, most homes have trees nearby that lead to leaves, seeds, twigs, pinecones and the likes clogging up their gutters. Even litter from the street can be blown up to your roof and tumble down into gutters. All this debris leads to slower draining and potential overflow of your gutters. We recommend cleaning out your gutters at a minimum of once a year, and more if you are in a heavily wooded area.
To help minimize how often you need to clean your gutters, you can have a gutter guard installed. When we install new gutters, we typically recommend including a gutter guard, which can save homeowners a lot of hassle and the avoid the danger of getting on ladders to clean your gutters. We offer several gutter guard options; each has different pros and cons and different price points. These different guards provide various protection against particular trees, for example one type of gutter guard is better suited to keep out maple tree seed pods, while another guard is better if you have pine needles near your home.
Selecting the Appropriate Gutters for your Mid-Missouri Home
The gutters we install at CoMo Premium Exteriors are seamless and made, on site, at your home so that they are the perfect fit. Depending on the size and pitch of your roof, we will recommend either a 5-inch or 6-inch gutter. Some roofs have 4-inch gutters, but we do not recommend these for Midwest homes as they are too small to handle Midwest debris and rainfall.
Another important component to your gutter system to consider is the size of your downspout. The downspout is important because it directs all the water caught in your gutters away from your home. If you don’t have a proper functioning downspout water can run into the foundation of your home and, over time, cause leaks or possibly settling issues. Because of this we recommend a larger downspout that is 3×4 inches. We also use an elbow and any necessary extensions at the end of downspouts to direct water away from the home.
In addition to choosing the right measurements, you also need to choose the best color for your home. Gutters can come in a wide range of colors that will each give your home a different look. The most common colors for gutters are white, brown, forest green and grey. You can choose an option that blends in, or something that stands out.
Interested in Updating your Mid-Missouri Gutters, Soffits & Fascia?
If you think your gutters, soffits or fascia have been damaged, are looking worn, or you’re just ready for a change to your Mid-Missouri home, call CoMo Premium Exteriors to set up an inspection and learn the next steps.
