A clogged gutter may appear to be a minor issue at first. But if left unaddressed, blocked gutters can cause serious damage to your home. Blocked gutters result in significant damage to your home’s foundations, roofs, and pests. Gutters that are clogged can lead to a slew of issues; here’s our professional rundown of the most common and hazardous ones.
DAMAGE TO THE FOUNDATIONS
A blocked gutter can cause structural damage to your home’s foundations, one of the most serious problems. In the worst-case scenario, it will be a major problem, and it will only arise in rare cases. But cleaning out your gutters on a regular basis is the most significant reason for that.
When a blocked gutter overflows during heavy rainfall, the foundations may be damaged. Water can pool at the base of the structure and seep into the foundation as a result of this. A house’s structural integrity might be weakened, and it can even collapse in severe situations.
LEAKING ROOFS
A blocked gutter can cause foundation damage as well as roof damage. If your roof is leaking, there’s a good chance your gutters are clogged. Water can pool on the roof if a gutter is blocked and cannot drain freely. Roof tiles may be weakened by water seeping through and causing them to collapse.
LEAKING BASEMENTS
If you have a basement, your blocked gutter may lead to water seeping inside. When water overflows and pools at the base of your home, this occurs. It can creep into the basement and cause mold or fractures to develop. Blocked gutter damage in the worst situations might result in complete basement flooding if the weather is particularly nasty and rainfall is plentiful.
INSECT INFESTATIONS
An insect infestation is another potentially hazardous consequence of blocked gutter damage. Debris might be a perfect breeding ground for insects if it isn’t removed. Insects are drawn to the damp conditions, and if they aren’t dealt with promptly, they can become an annoyance. In summer, termites may be attracted to blocked gutters and enter your home, or wasps may build huge nests in them.
BROKEN GUTTERS
Blocked gutters, too, cause harm to the gutters themselves, which is worse than gutter damage that affects the structural integrity of your home. Debris builds up in a gutter and blocks it, adding to its weight. When it rains, leaves and other similar debris absorb the water, increasing the pressure on the gutter dramatically.
DAMAGE TO LANDSCAPING
When it rains, blockages in your gutters might lead to landscaping damage. When it rains, the water can pool below the gutter and harm any plants or soil beneath it. The soil and nutrients in the dirt may simply be washed away over a long period of time.
WHAT SHOULD THE PRECAUTIONS BE TO AVOID GUTTER DAMAGE? WHEN DO YOU SHOULDN’T CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS TO KEEP THEM IN GOOD SHAPE?
If your gutters are blocked, you must clean them more frequently than you think. Gutters are commonly left blocked for too long before being cleaned, only becoming unclogged when structural issues or insect infestations begin to show up. If you detect any of the difficulties outlined in this article, your gutters need to be cleaned.
If you can’t recall the last time your gutters were cleaned, it’s probably time to get help. Why not contact Direct Cleaning Group today to get a quote?