Saturday, September 5, 2020
Fall Home and Garden, PAGE 3
Signs your
gutters are
in need of
repair
F
Not all signs of
deteriorating gutters are
outside a home.
all is a great time to
tackle projects around
the house. The weather
each fall allows homeowners
to make improvements to
their homes’ exteriors without
worrying about extreme heat
or cold, while interior projects
like painting are made easier
because homeowners can open
the windows to allow for proper
ventilation.
Fall also marks a great
time to prepare for upcoming
projects that can make winter
work that much easier. For
example, fall is a great time
to take stock of your gutters
so you can address any issues
before leaves begin to fall or
the first snowstorm touches
down. Compromised gutters
can contribute to water issues
in basements and adversely
affect a home’s foundation if not
addressed immediately, so it
behooves homeowners to learn
the signs that gutters are in need
of repair or replacement.
• Gutters hanging off the
home: Gutters were once
installed predominantly with
spikes. However, many industry
professionals now install gutters
with hanger brackets. Why the
change? Spikes loosen over
time, leading to the gutters
hanging off the home. That
can contribute to serious
issues if left untreated. Gutters
hanging off the home need not
necessarily be replaced, but
rather secured to the home,
ideally with hanger brackets
instead of spikes. Brackets hook
into the front of the gutter and
are then screwed into the fascia
of a home. A professional who
specializes in gutter repair can
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perform this task relatively
quickly, and it’s an inexpensive
yet highly effective solution.
• Gutter separation: Gutters
that are no longer fastened
together can leak and con-
tribute to issues that affect the
home’s foundation, siding and
appearance. Clogs and the ac-
cumulation of debris can cause
gutters to separate because they
are not designed to hold too
much weight. Replacement of
separated gutters may or may
not be necessary depending on
how big the problem is and the
condition of the existing gutters.
If replacement is not neces-
sary, separated gutters may be
remedied by securing the joints,
another relatively simple and
inexpensive fix.
• Peeling exterior paint: Paint
that appears to be peeling off of
your home may indicate that
water is seeping over the edge of
the gutter closest to your home.
When that happens, water is
coming down the side of the
house, causing the paint to peel.
In such instances, replacing the
gutters is often necessary.
• Basement flooding: Not all
signs of deteriorating gutters are
outside a home. Many a home-
owner has been flummoxed
by flooding in their basements,
and such flooding can be
caused by aging, ineffective gut-
ters. That’s because deteriorating
gutters sometimes allow water
to leak near the foundation of a
home, contributing to basement
flooding.
Fall is an ideal time to inspect
gutters and have any issues fixed
before leaves begin to fall or
harsh winter weather arrives.
Union County Board of Commissioners............................2
Dream Home..........................................................................3
Coverworks Plus ....................................................................4
Scorpio International ............................................................4
Scott’s Heating ........................................................................5
Inland Turf & Equipment .....................................................6
Ne-Hi Enterprises ..................................................................7
Eastern Oregon Rental & Sales ............................................7
The Window Store, LLC .......................................................8
Countryside Sheds ................................................................8
Elgin Electric ..........................................................................9
Millers Home Center ..........................................................10
Northwest Furniture & Mattress .......................................11
Carpet One Floor & Home ................................................12
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Dream Home
Building Materials from
Insurance from
Cashway Lumber
State Farm
Gregg Hinrichsen
3205 10th Street, Baker City
(541) 523-4422
cashwaylumbercompany.com
Building Materials by
3815 Pocahontas
Baker City
541-523-6404
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1722 Campbell
541-523-7778
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Paper Delivered by
307 Greenwood St.
La Grande
541-963-3113
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Baker City Herald
541-523-3673
La Grande Observer
541-963-3161
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