9 Signs That My Gutter Is Overflowing

Tuesday, October 13th, 2020 by Kendra Dunnigan

CRASH, BOOM, downpour… I’m standing out in the rain looking to see if my gutters are overflowing. Chances are, this isn’t how you like to spend your rainy day. Neither do I, it’s just part of the job I suppose. If you are normal, then you probably aren’t outside much when it’s raining; and that also means you won’t always catch your gutter overflowing, when it’s actually happening. Luckily there are some clues left behind to know if rain water is overflowing out of your gutter.

Here are 9 signs to spot, when it’s dry out, whether or not your gutters are overflowing.

Trees and Seedlings in the Gutter

Now this seems pretty obvious, but it can be overlooked. If there are little trees growing in your gutter, then that means your gutters are clogged to the max and water is definitely not being controlled the way it is supposed to.

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Trees and Seedlings in the Gutter

Dried Dirt and Debris on the Gutter

Dried Debris Stuck to Front of Gutter

When your gutters are clogged, they are going to overflow. The dirt and debris will also overflow with the water. This picture is an example of what is left behind. Your gutter will have dirt and debris dried on the outside of the gutter.

Tiger Striping on Gutter

Tiger Striping is more of an industry term. It can be defined as the dirty streaks or marks left behind from water coming over the front of the gutter, the result resembles the stripes on a tiger. There are ways to clean this, but to prevent this from happening, make sure the gutter and downspout is flowing properly and is not clogged with debris.

Tiger Striping on Copper Gutter

Cracked Foundation or Flooded Basement

Watermarks and Mold on the Side of the House

This is a definite sign that water is overflowing the gutters. Sometimes the rain water overflows and runs down the side of the home and leaves these stains. If you can see this on your home, not only is your siding in jeopardy, but think of where this water is going. Straight down to your basement. This can lead to flooding your basement or cracking your foundation.

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Dried Debris and Dirt on Side of House

Washed-Out Drip Line or Trench

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Washed-Out Trench Drip Line

If you started to notice a washed-out drip line or trench running parallel to your home and below the gutters, then this is a sure sign that your gutters are overflowing. The structures foundation is also in jeopardy, because if this goes on for too long, it can cause the foundation to crack which can be quite costly.

Gutter Pulling Away from the Fascia Board

A result and sign from water overflowing the gutter is when the gutter is pulling away from the home. This was caused from water flowing behind the gutter and rotting out the fascia board over the years.
As you can see, there is a micro-mesh gutter guard on this gutter system. In order for many of the “micro-mesh” types of gutter protection systems to handle the high volumes of water, they need to lay flat. But by laying flat, a maintenance issue is created. If you read the fine print in this particular competitor’s “20 Year Clog Free Warranty” (which we won’t name), it says that the product must be properly maintained by the homeowner, otherwise the warranty is void. Unfortunately, many of our competitor’s warranties are like this and are filled with loopholes. So do yourself a favor and READ THE FINE PRINT before your decide on the gutter protection system that is right for your home.

Gutter Pulling Away From Home

A Poorly Pitched Gutter Will Overflow at it’s Lowest Point

Poorly Pitched Gutter

When the gutter is installed properly, it’s low point is at the downspout. A poorly pitched gutter will cause the gutter to overflow somewhere in the middle of the gutter run. A way to spot this happening, without being outside when it is raining, is look for mold or mildew stains.

Rotting or Peeling Paint on the Fascia Board

Paint Coming Off Fascia Board

9 Signs That My Gutter Is Overflowing - Image 9

Rotted Out Facia Board

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