Tiger Striping On Rain Gutters: What It Is And Knowing When To Replace Your Gutter System

Most gutters have it or will eventually.

Tiger striping.

When you’re outside, take a look at your gutters, now move a little closer and take another look.

Do you see lines that run down the front of the gutters?

That’s what is known as tiger striping.

Tiger Striping is caused by debris, dirt or even pollen in the air or particles from the roof that runs down when it rains and collects on the face of the gutter.

You’ll notice it more when it rains because you’ll see droplets of water that forms on top of the gutter, then runs down the stripes. Many homeowners will think that their gutters are leaking or overflowing when they see this, but many times it’s just the water running down the gutter following the striped path.

This is cosmetic and does not affect the gutter’s performance; you can try and power wash them off, some people say it works, others disagree.

For me, the stripes on my gutters at home are not that noticeable, so we live with it.

Knowing When To Replace Your Gutters

As mentioned above, tiger striping has no impact on the performance of your gutters-so that’s the good news.

While you’re examining your gutters for tiger striping, you may notice other – more worrisome – signs that your gutters may need to be replaced.

If you notice your gutters are slouching or slumping – or you can spot outright leaks, those are signs you’ll likely need a replacement to prevent further damage to your entire gutter system.

If you’re constantly patching and repairing your gutters, that could also be a sign that a new gutter installation might a better option, as those repair costs add up.

Wherever you call home in the north Dallas area – from McKinney to Plano to Allen or Wylie – you can always consult with a trusted, local gutter contractor to help you determine what condition your gutter system is in.

For things like tiger striping, a replacement is unnecessary (and is only cosmetic) and an honest contractor should point that out for you.

If you end up eventually needing a replacement gutter system, get in touch with that honest contractor.