How often have you reached for various coats/jackets in your wardrobe this spring? You’ve probably alternated between your winter coat for brisk mornings and a lightweight rain jacket for afternoon adventures, maybe even ditching the extra layer depending on the daytime high. Ohio has some of the most unpredictable and varied weather, especially during spring and summer.
With spring in full swing and summer around the corner, we’re likely to have seasonal storms that can wreak havoc on the exterior of our homes. You most likely close and tie your patio umbrella, put your outdoor cushions inside, and ensure nothing is left outside to prepare for extreme weather conditions, but how can you prepare the one home component built to handle heavy rains? Your gutters also require some prep before extreme weather hits – keep reading to learn how to prep your gutters for extreme weather conditions in Ohio so you can be fully prepared.
Extreme Weather Conditions in Ohio that Threaten Your Gutters
While our weather isn’t notoriously the most extreme in the country, it has its dramatic shifts in weather patterns and temperatures each season. No matter the season, there’s a chance for extreme weather conditions, all threatening your home’s exterior, including the gutter system. Below are some extreme weather conditions in Ohio that threaten your gutters:
Severe Thunderstorms
Worst in late spring, Central Ohio has frequent severe thunderstorms that often pop up out of nowhere, giving us barely any time to gather outdoor things to prepare. These severe thunderstorms produce strong wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and hail. Strong winds can tear a damaged gutter system from a home, potentially damaging the soffit, fascia, or roof, or loosen sectional gutters. Heavy rainfall on a damaged or inadequate gutter system can cause water to flow over the sides, causing a trench around the foundation that can cause structural damage. Hail can dent gutters/downspouts, cause cracks or chipped paint that expose protective coatings.
Intense Winds
Not all gutter systems are installed as meticulously as K-Guard®; some lack heavy-duty brackets, aren’t anchored correctly, are installed on the roof in a way that voids a roof warranty, or have plenty of gutter installation mistakes. Whatever the case, intense winds can tear gutter systems from a home, causing damage to surrounding components like the roof, soffit, or fascia. Gutters that are low-quality, sectional rather than seamless, have preexisting clogs, or are damaged from severe storms are susceptible to damage from strong winds.
Heavy Downpours
It may sound silly that heavy rainfall can threaten a gutter system since they were invented to collect and drain water away from a roof; however, unfortunately, some gutter systems aren’t high-quality or durable or don’t have a large capacity, resulting in overflowing or leaky gutters. Heavy downpours are common for Central Ohio, especially during our peak rainy season from April to June.
Humidity
Did you know that humidity can cause certain gutter materials to warp, crack, and rust? Some metal gutters, like steel or aluminum, that don’t have protective coatings can rust or corrode from exposure to humidity, weakening the gutters and causing severe damage. Humidity can also cause mildew and mold to grow inside the gutters, attracting pests and creepy crawlies. Gutter material matters, especially when you live in a climate like ours.
Ice & Snowstorms
We’re fortunate to live in an area with four seasons, including winter. Though K-Guard® can withstand ice and snowstorms, not all gutter systems can. Some aren’t very durable, warping from exposure to snowmelt, while others can’t support heavy snow accumulation. We get an average of 28” of snow each year, with occasional ice storms. Melting ice and fluctuating temperatures can cause ice dams to form on gutters, potentially causing extreme damage.
How to Prep Your Gutters for Extreme Weather Conditions in Ohio
Though severe weather threatens your gutter system, you can take some measures to prep it to avoid extreme damage. Try the following to prevent gutter damage to your system:
Routine Gutter Maintenance
Keeping gutters clean removes debris like leaves, pine needles, silt, and twigs that cause clogs. Clogged gutters impede water flow, forcing it to seep under roof shingles and pour over the sides. When water can’t effectively flow through the gutters and downspouts, it’ll spill over the sides, ruining your landscaping and potentially causing foundation damage. You can avoid damage from extreme weather conditions in Ohio by performing routine gutter maintenance, like cleaning and inspecting them for damage.
Replace Your Gutters with K-Guard®
Never worry about extreme weather conditions wreaking havoc on your gutters again by replacing them with K-Guard®. K-Guard® is a gutter system with multiple components working together to collect and drain water away from the home. Our gutters are sleek and offer exceptional performance during the most severe weather. Below are some of the many advantages of installing K-Guard:
- Extremely durable aluminum that resists corrosion
- Oversized gutters and downspouts to keep up with downpours and meltwater
- Support heavy snow accumulation, never tearing or sagging
- Clog-free, never requiring you to clean your gutters again
- High-quality aluminum and paint that will never chip or dent from hail or severe storms
- Multiple transferable life warranties
- Beautiful and seamless appearance to add curb appeal and prevent leaks
K-Guard® Gutters are best for Ohio homes for many reasons: they last much longer than other gutter systems (for the life of the house), are so durable that they withstand all severe weather, including snowstorms and ice storms, add curb appeal with their beautiful and seamless appearance, and come with multiple transferable life warranties.
Another great advantage to installing K-Guard® is that it lasts a lifetime, with a transferable lifetime warranty that protects your investment. We promise our gutter covers and guards will never fade, chip, clog, or require gutter repair or cleaning, and our installation will never void your roof’s warranty. We’ll ensure the pitch and downspout placements are correct with our gutter installation and that there are enough downspouts, avoiding common gutter installation mistakes.
Contact our team today to schedule a free estimate. We’ll provide a detailed analysis of your current gutter system and offer a quote for installing our K-Guard® Gutters!