When it comes to home maintenance, we wouldn’t blame you if cleaning your gutters doesn’t make the top of your to-do list. It’s easy to forget about your gutters, but it’s important to keep them clean and clear of debris throughout the year.
The number one reason things go wrong with gutters is because of poor maintenance and clogs. This could be from falling leaves, twigs, and other debris, which end up creating dams and preventing rainwater from flowing to and out the gutter downspouts.
Neglecting your gutters—especially during the fall—is a potentially costly and dangerous mistake. Here are a few big problems that happen when you don’t clean your gutters.
Improper Pitch
The longer you leave your gutters clogged and filled with debris, the heavier your gutters will become. The stress from the weight can lead to improper pitch and eventually ruin your home’s siding.
Pitch is the angle at which your gutters are attached to your home.Gutters need to be angled toward your downspouts so that the water can flow freely. If the pitch changes (due to the weight of debris or pooling water), your gutters may not drain correctly. Improper pitch is just the beginning though; gutters are only able to handle a certain amount of weight, and if they’re put through anything beyond that, they’ll begin to pull away from your home’s fascia, leading you to replace or repair portions of your home’s exterior.
Standing Water
Standing water on your property is a problem for a variety of reasons, but when it’s in your gutters, it can cause more issues down the road unless you take care of it immediately. In the summer, stagnant water is a magnet for mosquitoes, other insects, and vermin. These pests then attract birds who may nest in your gutters (further compounding the debris problem). All these birds, bugs, and rats mean one thing: a gutter filled with germs and bacteria. A good clean or power wash will get rid of all the buildup and make your gutters a less attractive space for critters.
The winter has its woes too; on particularly cold winter nights, the stagnant water can freeze, which may result in damaged gutter walls and seams, making your gutters ineffective when the next big storm hits.
Flooding & Damaged Foundation
If the water in your gutters isn’t draining properly, it could be pooling close to your home’s foundation, leading to basement flooding, landscape erosion, and potential damage to your foundation. Clogged gutters can jeopardize the safety and integrity of your home—and it’s extremely costly to repair. At its best, it’s a few hundred dollars to dry out a basement or fix your landscape; at its worst, you’re looking at shelling out several thousand dollars to remove mold from your basement or fix your home’s foundation.
All these issues can be prevented if you regularly clean and maintain your gutters. Renting a power hose, enlisting a friend or family member to hold your ladder, or replacing a damaged section of gutter is a whole lot less stressful and costly than leaving the fate of your gutters up to chance.
If you want to avoid the problems that come with not cleaning your gutters, we can help. Tacoma Gutter Service has been helping home owners in the Tacoma, Wash., area keep their homes safe and gutters in proper working condition for more than 30 years. We can clean and inspect your gutters to make sure water is draining and being diverted away from your home. We can also repair or replace any damaged areas. Schedule a cleaning and get a FREE estimate by calling (253) 927-7111 or contacting us online.
This post first appeared on https://tacomagutterservice.com