Houston Storm-Season Gutter Checklist: What to Check This Week
Why this week
It's the second week of September, which is statistically the busiest week of the Atlantic hurricane season and the middle of Houston's. The Gulf is at its warmest, the fronts that steer storms away haven't started, and the ground is already wet from a summer of afternoon rain. If you didn't do the gutter walk-around in May, this is the last sensible moment to do it. The storms that hit Houston don't need to be hurricanes to tear gutters off a house; a tropical storm with 50 mph gusts will peel back any run that was already loose. Here's what to check, in the order that matters.
The six checks
1. Are the gutters actually attached?
Walk the house and look up at the front edge of every run. Spike-and-ferrule hangers — a big nail through the front of the gutter — back out over time. If you can see nail heads sticking out a quarter inch, or a gutter that's pulled an inch away from the fascia, wind will finish the job. Fix: hidden screw hangers every 24 inches. This is the single most important storm prep on the list, and it's a $150–$300 repair per run. In a normal week a local contractor can usually get to it within a few days; the week after a storm, everyone in Harris County is calling.
2. Are the downspouts strapped?
Each downspout should be strapped to the wall at least every 8 feet, with a strap near the top elbow and one near the bottom. Loose downspouts flap in wind and snap at the elbow, and then the whole run is draining at your foundation in the middle of the storm. Straps are $5 each; this is a DIY job if you're comfortable on a ladder. While you're there, push on each elbow — if it wiggles, add a self-tapping screw.
3. Is the fascia solid?
Push a screwdriver into the fascia board behind the gutter at a few spots, especially near corners and downspouts. If it goes in easily, the wood is rotten and the hangers have nothing to hold. This is the one that turns a loose gutter into a gutter on the lawn. Rotted fascia replacement is $8–$20 per foot and has to happen before a gutter can be re-hung; the fascia and soffit repair page covers it.
4. Are the gutters clean and flowing?
The oaks finished in May, the pines and pecans haven't started yet, so a September gutter should be mostly clear — unless the summer's crepe myrtle blossoms and a few months of shingle grit have plugged a downspout. Flush each one with a hose and make sure water comes out the bottom. A clogged downspout in a tropical storm means the gutter fills, gets heavy, and pulls off. A professional gutter cleaning visit should include a ladder check of everything above.
5. Where does the water go?
Extensions on every downspout, water landing at least four feet from the slab. A stalled tropical system can drop 10 to 20 inches of rain over Houston in two days — Harvey put more than 40 on parts of the east side — and you don't want any of it pooling against the foundation. Downspouts and your Houston slab has the options and prices.
6. Check the roof edge
Look for shingles that have lifted at the eave and for a missing or bent drip edge. Wind gets under lifted shingles first, and a missing drip edge sends water behind the gutter. A roofer can tack down lifted shingles and add drip edge in an hour this week; the same call in the week after a storm is a three-week wait.
Gutter guards and storms
If your gutters have guards, give them a quick look too. Screen panels that have popped loose can blow off in a gust and leave the gutter open. Micro-mesh panels should be screwed tight to the front lip along their full length. Debris sitting on top of a guard sheds water over the edge in heavy rain, so brush it off before the storm. A guard that has lifted at the back may be catching wind under the shingles; that needs fixing before the season, not after.
Trees and the roof edge
Branches that hang over the roof are a storm risk for the gutters as well as the shingles. A limb that drops onto a run bends it flat, and smaller branches whipping in the wind can lift a gutter off its hangers. If you have a big oak or pine over the house, look at which limbs reach the roof edge. Dead wood should come out before the season; an arborist can tell you what's safe to remove. Also look for limbs already resting on a gutter. That weight alone can change the pitch, and in a gust it acts like a lever.
While you're looking up, note anything hanging from the fascia: string lights, satellite dishes, cables. Loose fixtures tear free in high wind and can take a gutter section with them.
What to have on hand
A small kit saves a trip to the hardware store when the shelves are empty before a storm:
- A few downspout straps and a box of short self-tapping screws
- A spare downspout elbow in your gutter size
- A tube of polyurethane gutter sealant
- Two or three flexible downspout extensions
- A phone with plenty of storage for photos
If a run is loose and a storm is coming
Don't try to re-hang a long run yourself in the last hours before a storm. If a section has pulled away and you can reach it safely from a step ladder on a single story, a strap or a couple of screws through the back of the gutter into solid fascia can hold it for now. Then book a proper re-hang. On a two-story house, stay off the ladder; photograph the problem and call.
If a downspout is already flapping, it's usually safer to take it down and lay it flat than to leave it to tear free.
Mistakes people make the week of a storm
- Climbing in the wind. A ladder against a gutter in gusty weather is how people get hurt. Do the ladder work on calm days.
- Taping or caulking a wet joint. Sealant won't stick to wet metal. Wait for a dry morning.
- Skipping photos. "Before" photos of a sound gutter make any claim easier to explain later.
- Forgetting the extensions. People clean the gutter and leave the water landing at the slab.
The ten-minute version
If you only have ten minutes and a pair of binoculars:
- Front edge of every gutter: any nail heads showing or gaps at the top?
- Every downspout: strapped, connected at the elbows, extension in place?
- Every corner: dark streak on the fascia below it?
- Any run that overflowed in a summer storm? That's where the water will go over again.
Anything you find is a gutter repair call, and it's worth booking before the next storm rather than after it.
Once the all-clear comes
When the storm has passed, walk the house before you clean up. Look for runs pulled off, downspouts bent or missing, water that pooled against the slab, and any new stains under the eaves. Photograph each one with something for scale. Then move loose sections off walkways so no one trips.
After the storm
If a gutter comes off, take photos before you touch anything — your insurance adjuster will want them. Sudden wind damage to gutters is often covered by Houston homeowners' policies while age and wear usually aren't, and many Texas policies carry a separate wind-and-hail deductible — check with your insurer or agent on what yours says. Ask the contractor who quotes the repair to photograph the damage and write up the scope for your claim. For hurricane gutter damage repair, Houston contractors get booked up within days of a storm, so call early.
Need gutter work in Houston?
Call for a free estimate. Mon–Sat 7am–7pm.