Gutters, also known as eavestrough, eaves channels are horizontal metals usually installed along the eave edges of your house roof to catch rainwater and direct it to a safe draining area. They are valuable to prevent erosion from rainwater, protect the foundation of your house, your landscape, and block basement flooding. Generally, they protect your home from standing rainwater that can be hazardous. But have you recently thought about the condition of your gutters?
With time, gutters collect trash, stray leaves, foliage, and dirt, so you need a gutter cleaning service from time to time. Otherwise, here is what happens if you don’t clean your gutters.
A Leaking Roof
A clogged gutter results in a leaking roof because there is no flowing drainage to clear the water away. It accumulates on the roof, and eventually, your roof starts leaking. That also applies to ice that accumulates on your roof during winter. When the warm weather kicks in, it begins to melt, and with clogged gutters, the melting ice weighs heavy on your roof, resulting in damage. You can avoid roof leakages by cleaning your gutter regularly.
A Flooded Basement
If your gutters are dirty, the water runs down through the sides of your roof and flows to the ground. That results in standing water that eventually finds its way into your basement. A flooded basement is risky to your family’s health. It can cause electric shocks if the water comes into contact with electrical wires. As such, it is vital to clean your gutters.
Damage to your Foundation
The foundation is what holds the house on the ground. Failure to clean your gutter causes water overflow, which gradually weakens your basement, crawl space, and slab. That is especially in the rainy seasons and winter months as the water continues to absorb into the walls of your house. As a result, the foundation may begin to shift and crack, which is very dangerous. It also leads to mold growth in your interior due to the wet environment.
Pest Infestation
A dirty gutter will more likely host different types of pests because of the damp conditions. Again, the standing water is more likely to attract mosquitoes and critters that eat mosquitoes. At some point, you may be struggling to get rid of pests in your home, not knowing that your gutters are their breeding ground. Cleaning your gutters gets rid of any pests before they even infest your home.
Rotting Wood
If your house foundation is made of wood, the more reason to be worried about dirty gutters. When your gutters are clogged, the water from the gutters seeps into your foundation. That compromises your house’s foundation and structure because the wood starts rotting away due to the water. Rotting wood also attracts pests such as ants, which is another problem you have to deal with.
Destroys your Landscape
With clogged gutters, water flows down and finds its way into your landscape. Without good drainage, your front yard and backyard may flood, or the water is more likely to wash away your flowers during heavy rainstorms.
Calculation
Dirty and clogged gutters result in overall roof damage. The shingles start deteriorating, the roof deck is compromised, the roof insulation gets wet, and your roof starts leaking from the interior. But you can prevent that by having experts clean your gutter from time to time.