Gutters and Gutter Guards: What They Do for a Pittsburgh Home

What gutters really do for your house

A roof sheds a surprising amount of water in a single storm. Without gutters, that water pours off the eaves in a sheet and lands right next to the foundation. Gutters collect it along the roof edge and send it to a few downspouts, which move it away from the house.

That simple job protects several parts of the home at once:

• The foundation and basement. Water that pools against the foundation often finds its way into basements, especially in older homes with stone or block foundations.
• The fascia and roof edge. Overflowing water soaks the wood behind the gutter and the bottom edge of the roof deck, which can lead to rot.
• Siding and trim. Water splashing back up from the ground stains and wears down the lower part of the walls.
• Walkways, steps and landscaping. Concentrated runoff erodes soil and, in winter, can freeze into slick patches on steps and sidewalks.

On Pittsburgh's hillside lots this matters even more. When a house sits above or below a slope, water that is not directed properly can run toward the foundation or wash out the yard below.

Why gutters clog so often in Pittsburgh

Much of the city has a heavy tree canopy. That is part of what makes the neighborhoods pleasant, but it also means leaves, seed pods, twigs and needles end up in gutters for much of the year, not only in the fall.

Once debris builds up, a gutter stops draining. Water backs up, spills over the front edge, and in some cases pushes back under the roof edge. Wet debris is also heavy, and the extra weight can pull a gutter away from the fascia over time.

Winter makes a clog worse. Standing water and wet leaves freeze solid, and a frozen gutter can contribute to ice building up along the roof edge. If you want to understand that problem in more depth, our article on preparing your roof for a Pittsburgh winter covers ice dams and freeze-thaw damage.

Signs your gutters need attention

Many gutter problems are visible from the ground. Walk around the house during or just after a steady rain and look for these:

• Water spilling over the front of the gutter instead of coming out of the downspouts.
• Gutters that sag, pull away from the house, or have gaps where they meet the fascia.
• Drips or streams coming from joints and corners.
• Rust spots, cracks, holes or peeling paint on the gutters themselves.
• Stains, moss or rot on the fascia boards and the siding just below the gutters.
• Puddles, washed-out mulch or soil erosion beneath the gutters.
• Plants or seedlings growing out of the gutter, a sure sign of a long-standing clog.
• Water in the basement or along foundation walls after storms.

One or two of these can often be handled with cleaning or a small repair. When several show up together, or the gutters are old and patched in many places, replacement is usually the better long-term choice.

What gutter guards do, and what they do not do

Gutter guards cover the top of the gutter so leaves and larger debris stay out while water still flows in. For homes under big trees, they can make a real difference in how often gutters clog and overflow.

What you can reasonably expect

• Far fewer clogs from leaves and twigs.
• Less need to climb a ladder to clean gutters, which is one of the more common ways homeowners get hurt.
• Less standing debris, which helps the gutter drain and dry out between storms.

What guards will not do

No guard is completely maintenance free. Fine debris such as pine needles, seed pods and roof grit can still collect on top of or inside some guards, and they usually benefit from an occasional check. Guards also cannot fix a gutter that is sloped wrong, undersized for the roof, or pulling away from rotten fascia. They work best when they go on a gutter system that is in good condition to begin with.

Repair, clean or replace?

If your gutters are in decent shape and simply full of leaves, a thorough cleaning and a check of the downspouts may be all you need. A loose hanger or a leaking corner can often be fixed without replacing anything.

Replacement usually makes sense when:

• The gutters are rusted through, cracked or repeatedly leaking at many joints.
• They no longer hold their slope and water sits in low spots.
• The fascia behind them has rotted and needs to be replaced anyway.
• You are replacing the roof and want the roof edge, drip edge and gutters to work together. Our guide to roof repair vs. roof replacement can help you think through the bigger picture.
• You want to add gutter guards and the existing gutters are not worth protecting.

Downspout placement matters as much as the gutters. A good layout sends water to spots where it can drain away from the house, not onto a neighbor's property, a walkway or a set of steps that will freeze.

How Straight A can help

Straight A Exterior Renovations installs new gutters and replacement gutters with gutter guards for homes around Pittsburgh. We start with a free inspection, look at the gutters, fascia, downspouts and roof edge together, and explain what we find in plain terms. If a cleaning or small repair is enough, we will tell you.

If replacement makes sense, you get a detailed, line-by-line written quote, and nothing starts until you approve it. You can learn more on our gutters and gutter guards page, or contact us to schedule a free estimate.