Why You Need to Clean Your Gutters
You may not think about them very much, but gutters are essential for diverting the flow of rainwater away from your home’s foundation. They’re especially important in areas with high rainfall. But what happens if you don’t clean your gutters? A lot of things, actually, and none of them are good. To learn why clean gutters are so important, here are six problems that can emerge when they’re dirty.
Gutter Damage
What happens if you don’t clean your gutters should be obvious: leaves, twigs, and other forms of debris will build up over time. However, beyond just appearing unkempt, this accumulation can potentially damage your gutter system. The increased weight of all the leaves may be too much for your gutters to withstand, causing them to break off and damage the fascia in the process.
In addition to preventing unwanted gutter damage, there are many long-term reasons why homeowners should clean gutters. Built-up debris can cause your gutters to experience rust and corrosion, ultimately reducing their lifespan. By keeping gutters cleaned regularly, you can help increase their longevity.
Ice Dams
Accumulated debris isn’t the only extra weight that can strain a gutter system. Ice damming can also cause some serious problems. Ice dams occur when the snow on your roof melts, flows into the gutters, and then freezes again because of the lower temperatures. Not only will it create icicles, but it can also impair your gutters’ drainage system. When combined with built-up debris, ice dams can worsen water drainage even more.
Extensive Water Damage
As you well know, blocked gutters don’t properly drain rainwater. This clogging can result in water overflow that will negatively affect any home. For example, with nowhere to flow, the water will start seeping into your roofing. It won’t just ruin the shingles but can leak into the attic and cause extensive water damage.
Water overflowing because of a clogged gutter can also make its way into your siding, stain the walls of your home, and create mold. Your basement isn’t safe either, as rainwater can seep into your basement and flood it depending on the direction of your landscaping slopes. With so many potential water problems that can arise, it’s easy to see why clean gutters are so important.
Foundation and Structural Damage
Clogged gutters can also play a role in causing serious foundation damage to your home. Normally, gutters will help divert rainwater and melted snow away from a home’s foundation. However, when the gutters become too obstructed, water will drain directly below the drainage area. When the temperature drops below freezing during the winter, the water will expand and contract, causing damage. This erosion and leaking contributes to foundation problems over time, including wall cracks, uneven floors, and much more.
Pests
What happens if you don’t clean out gutters? Pests move in. Insects love the decomposing plant debris that builds up in gutters, which is the perfect breeding ground for them. Their presence can eventually lead to infestations and health problems, so if you don’t want pests to be attracted to your home, make sure to get your gutters cleaned.
Costly Repairs
Most of the damages discussed regarding what happens when you don’t clean your gutters have one trait in common: they’re incredibly expensive to repair. So why wait for there to be a problem when you can prevent them? By ensuring your gutters are cleaned thoroughly, you can avoid any damages and, in turn, the costs that come along with them.
If you want to avoid all the issues caused by clogged and dirty gutters, then you should have a professional perform a gutter cleanout. Anyone searching for professional gutter cleaning in DC and the surrounding areas can reach out to EcoTek Power Washing today. We offer numerous home services, including holiday lighting installation for the upcoming season. Contact EcoTek today and learn how we can help keep your home clean and looking great!
