From the ground, all four sides
- Runs pulled away from the fascia or hanging at one end
- Downspouts loose at the wall straps or elbows, or crushed
- Branches on or in the gutters
- Dents in gutters and downspouts after hail
- Water marks on siding or fascia behind the gutters
- Washouts or puddles at the foundation
Photograph first
Wide shots of each side and close shots of any damage, before anything is moved. An insurer will ask for them if there is a claim, and a contractor can price a repair from them before the visit.
Cleaning or repair
Storm debris in a working gutter is a cleaning. A detached or bent run, a crushed downspout or a corner pulled apart is a repair, and a section bent by a limb is usually replaced. If the fascia behind a detached run is soft, it is replaced before the gutter goes back up.
Leave the ladder
Wet edges, loose metal and limbs under tension make the roof edge after a storm the place for a crew with the right equipment.