Trees shed leaves throughout the entire year, and then more intensely in autumn; this is when a significant portion of leaves find their way onto roofs, and into the gutters and downspouts. If your house has a flat or a near-flat roof or improperly angled toward the downspouts, the drains will clog way quicker than usual. What’s even worse is that leaves and twigs stuck in gutters remain wet for extended periods of time and are later difficult to blow out. Don’t get surprised if you spot pests, mold and even birds nesting in your gutters.

Look for the following:

• cracks or splits of any kind.
• Paint peeling on or around your gutters and/or flecks of orange.
• Pools of water or signs of mildew around your home’s foundation.
• Water damage or water marks directly beneath the gutters.
• Gutters sag or have begun to pull away from the house

Snow and ice are a problem that causes your gutters to clog, but not entirely. How so? While the accumulation of snow and ice on the roof is worrisome, it’s not crucial. Usually, it’s the condition of the attic that makes all the difference. If the attic ventilates poorly, it will retain more warmth and lead to excessive melting of the snow on the roof. When the snow slides onto the cold gutter, it turns into ice due to a sudden temperature change, causing the gutter to clog almost immediately. If the additional snow overflows the gutter, you may be looking into damaged walls, eaves, and foundation.

Aluminum gutters are outperforming both steel and copper. This pocket-friendly material resists rust despite its light weight. That makes it one of the best rain gutters available today. Galvanized steel and copper might be stronger, but they’re difficult and expensive to install.

Read more about different types of gutter material here.

At some point in time, you might want to paint your gutters because tastes change. There is a common belief that you are unable to paint gutters. Since they are made of metal, why would paint be able to stick?

This belief is wildly false. Not only can you paint them, but it is also very easy. As long as you follow the right steps, you will be able to paint them to look great and avoid the cost of professional painting. Take the opportunity to change your home.

Read more about painting your gutters here.