The gutter is the part of your home that allows water from the roof to be distributed, helping to prevent problems like shingle leaks. When the water in your gutter isn’t drained, that can lead to mold growth, which can harm your family’s health in the long run. But that’s not the only reason you should keep your gutter in good condition for as long as possible. Listed below are some problems that can occur with your gutter when it gets clogged:
Increased Risk of Ceiling Leaks
When there’s excess water on the roof, that water can slowly erode the shingles and insulation, which will lead to a ceiling leak. If you notice numerous leaks in the ceiling of your home, a clogged gutter may be the reason why.
Can Ruin Landscaping
Another issue that a clogged gutter can cause is landscape damage. When the excess water isn’t drained properly, it may flow down towards your garden or flower beds. Too much water can harm whatever you’re growing there.
Damages the House Foundation
The excess water from your gutter may drip down towards the foundation of your house and cause permanent damage to the wooden structures. If this happens, your house will be at risk of collapsing, which makes it an incredibly dangerous issue that should be addressed right away.
Increases the Risk of Rust
If the water comes into prolonged contact with metal surfaces, that can cause rust and become susceptible to breakage.
Invites Pest Animals
Clogged water can create the perfect environment for bugs and other pests to come and nest in your home. As you may know, the presence of one pest will invite others to follow suit and before you know it, you will have an entire ecosystem’s worth of pests in your home.
The Clogged Water can Turn into Ice Dams
When there’s water left in your gutter during the winter, it can freeze over, creating an ice dam inside the gutter. When this happens, the entire gutter structure can sustain heavy damage, which will have an adverse effect on the other parts of the roof. Furthermore, the ice dam will put unnecessary strain on the gutter, leading to a risk of collapse.
The Added Weight can Damage the Gutters
In other seasons, the leaves, dirt, and other debris that fall into the gutter will also put more pressure on its structure. This can make it dangerous for anyone walking under them, so it’s essential to keep them clear at all times, no matter the season.
How to Inspect Gutters:
You can check the condition of your gutter once a month by yourself to see if there’s an immediate issue that needs to be taken care of. Even if you don’t see any significant damage, you should still book a professional to do a gutter inspection. Call in a repair service to do some maintenance work on your gutter at the beginning of each season. Different weather patterns can deal different types of damage, so it’s important that you have a professional come in and prepare your gutter for the changes in weather.
In general, if you see that your gutter is loose or if there is sagging in many spots, that’s usually the first sign of a major issue. Furthermore, you should pay attention to the leaks and splits as well, as those will also tell you that your gutter is no longer in the best condition.
While it’s possible to repair your gutter by yourself, you have to keep in mind that there’s always a chance you could have an accident. For instance, the gutter could come unhinged from the roof and fall to the ground, so it’s imperative that you clear the area before you start any repairs. Lastly, you should steer clear of the power lines, as you never know if any of them have an electric leak.