Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and the Lowcountry gets plenty of tropical rain even when a storm passes offshore. A tropical system can drop several inches of rain in a day. Your gutters need to be ready for it before the forecast turns.
Before the season (May and early June)
- Clean the gutters and flush the downspouts. Spring oak leaves are usually still sitting in them.
- Check hangers. Push gently up on the gutter in a few spots. If it moves or sags, the hangers are loose or the wood behind them is soft.
- Check the slope. After a rain, standing water in a section means it is pitched wrong.
- Look at the seams and corners for drips, rust, or stains.
- Trim branches that hang over the roof so they cannot drop limbs or a load of leaves in the wind.
Check where the water goes
Gutters only move water to the downspouts. What happens next matters just as much in a big storm. Make sure every downspout has an extension or drain line that carries water several feet from the house, and that nothing is crushed, disconnected, or buried in mulch.
If water pools against the foundation after a normal rain, a tropical downpour will be far worse. That is the time to think about underground downspout drains or a French drain.
When a storm is in the forecast
- Clear any obvious debris you can reach safely from the ground
- Make sure downspout extensions are attached and pointed away from the house
- Secure or bring in anything near downspouts that could block them
- Never climb a ladder in high wind or rain
After the storm
- Walk around the house and look for sagging, bent, or detached sections
- Look for limbs on the roof or in the gutters
- Check for new stains on the siding or fascia
- Watch the downspouts in the next rain to make sure they still flow
GutterWorks is open 7 days a week, 6 AM to 6 PM. After a storm, call and we will secure loose gutters fast and come back for full repairs. See gutter repair.
