Common Types of Gutter Damage Caused by Ignoring Your Gutters
It is easy to fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” mindset, especially when it comes to your gutters. If they are installed really well, they could be invisible to the eye at a quick glance. And let’s face it, as a homeowner, you have plenty of other things to worry about so your gutters could easily be ignored. Ignoring your gutters will inevitably lead to damage that could be costly, time consuming, and risky for your home and family. Anything from costly water damage, pests, or ineffective gutters can be a result of ignoring your gutters.
Top Causes to Gutter Damage and How to Fix it
While all gutter damage isn’t preventable, most of it is with regular maintenance. As gutter experts, we’ve seen a lot of different types of gutter damage and have found that if you keep up with maintenance, most can be avoided. By just simply ignoring your gutters, you’re opening your home up to potential damage that could easily be avoided. Not to mention, these damages could impact your family. While gutters are easy to forget about, they still need regular maintenance to avoid some of these common types of gutter damage.
Clogged Gutters Could Lead to Water Damage
While water damage can be a result of many things like plumbing system issues or leaky fixtures, poorly maintained gutters can also cause major water damage. Like many things, if you leave it be without maintaining or servicing when needed, gutters can cause more harm than good. The key is making sure water can freely flow through your gutters and to the downspout. Here are a few things that could result from clogged gutters:
- Wood Rot on Fascia, Soffits, and Eaves
- Excess Moisture
- Water Overflow
- Ineffective Gutters
- Water entering the crawlspace
When water is present, it is going to flow regardless of whether the designated place for it to flow (like your gutter) is open. The overflow of water, when your gutters are clogged, can cause plenty of issues ranging from excess moisture to rotting wood. When water begins to overflow, it has to have somewhere to go and unfortunately, this could mean your crawlspace. That would be one more thing weighing on you to repair and could be avoided if the gutters were cleaned out and functioning properly. It is easy to forget to remove debris but you’ll wish you hadn’t ignored the issue when you start to see major damages coming to life.
Pests Might Be Finding a Home In Your Gutters
Just like anywhere else, excess moisture or stagnant water is the ideal breeding ground for insects and, unfortunately, mold. Of course, you don’t want to create a home for any annoying critters but ignoring your gutters could lead to that. On the flip side, if your gutters are clogged, small animals could easily get trapped in your gutters causing them to die bringing additional issues. The important thing to remember is gutters are made to allow water flow and only water flow. Once other things start to accumulate, you’re likely going to experience issues. Not only can this potentially cause damage to your gutters and exterior part of your house, this could also be a risk to your family, especially when mold or insects are involved.
How Often Should You Have Gutter Maintenance
Regular maintenance is necessary to keep your gutters in good condition and working properly. Well maintained gutters are clear of debris and the downspouts can run smoothly. While you may have gutter guards, there is still a chance that smaller pieces of debris can get into them and cause issues. Even if your gutters were installed properly, we still recommend having routine maintenance by getting them checked out at least twice a year.
How to Prevent Further Gutter Damage
There is nothing better than peace of mind knowing your gutters are taken care of. Having regular maintenance with HMC Gutters means we’ll keep your gutters clean and let you know of any additional services we recommend. By taking our old-fashioned approach and checking your gutters on a ladder and by hand, we’re able to inspect as we go. We thoroughly remove debris and pay close attention to the entire system and surrounding areas. If it has to do with your gutters, we’re going to make sure it is working properly. Keeping your gutters clean and well maintained will definitely prevent further gutter damage. Well maintained gutters means a well working gutter system and we are proud to keep it in great condition for you.
Not sure if your gutters are in good shape? Worried you’ve ignored them for too long? Contact our experts today!