Why Gutter Maintenance Matters in Warner Robins, GA
Fall leaves, spring pollen, and other debris commonly found in Georgia’s humid climate can accumulate in your gutters over time and cause blockages. As a result, rainwater will run down your walls, encouraging mold and mildew growth and causing foundation damage.
At Propel Pressure Cleaning, we draw on our years of experience in offering reliable gutter cleaning services in Warner Robins, GA, to explain how blocked gutters cause mold growth.
Ready to learn how to protect your home from structural damage due to organic growth from clogged gutters? Keep reading this blog.
Can Clogged Gutters Cause Mold in a House?
The gutter system helps channel rainwater away from your house, safeguarding it against flooding and water damage. When you allow leaves, dirt, rodent droppings, and debris to build up in the gutter channels, water will eventually surge over the top because it can’t flow freely in your downspouts.
Once the water overflows, it can seep into your roof, attic, walls, or basement. Excess moisture will cause dampness in the dark, unventilated spaces. These are perfect conditions for mold to thrive, which can happen within 24 to 48 hours of water leaking into your home.
What follows is a chain of reactions that might weaken your home’s structure and impact your family’s health with the following risks:
- Allergies: Your family members, especially those with allergies to mold, may experience symptoms such as itching, sneezing, eye irritation, and nasal congestion.
- Asthma: Inhaling mold spores from the air can cause asthma flare-ups or exacerbate your asthma symptoms.
- Respiratory problems: When you inhale mold, you may experience coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Now you’re probably asking, “How do I know I have mold in my Warner Robins home?”
You should look for musty odors, discoloration, and visible mold patches inside the home, which are common warning signs of mold growth.
What Happens If You Leave Gutters Clogged?
Now that you know how blocked gutters cause mold growth in Warner Robins, let’s talk about the problems you’ll face if you don’t address the issue promptly:
- Your roof will leak and eventually rot. Clogged gutters can cause water to accumulate under your shingles, resulting in leakage and wood rot in your fascia or attic.
- You’ll have increased pest issues around your home. Piles of damp debris in your gutters create the perfect environment for mosquitoes, birds, and rats to nest and breed. These pesky critters can make your loved ones sick or eat through your wiring and other building materials.
- You’ll experience ice dams in colder seasons. Trapped water can freeze in Warner Robins’ cold weather and cause ice dams that might further block your gutters and put too much pressure on your roof. In the end, you’ll have leaks or other damage.
It’s worth noting that water damage from clogged gutters can also affect the interior of your home. Overflowing water that constantly runs down your exterior siding can seep into the walls. The moisture will weaken the structure and cause mold growth behind your drywall and insulation.
You’re certainly not ready to spend thousands of dollars fixing all the above issues. For this reason, scheduling regular gutter cleaning to prevent mold and water damage is the way to go.
What Can Blocked Guttering Cause Besides Mold?
Blocked gutters cause mold growth and other problems that might make your home uninhabitable. Let’s check common issues that homeowners commonly face in Warner Robins, GA:
- Landscape erosion: When runoff water flows uncontrollably from your clogged gutters, it may wash away soil, mulch, and plants, damaging your landscaping. As the havoc continues, the drainage in your yard can become inefficient, causing water pools or swampy spots.
- Basement flooding: Overflowing gutters will cause rainwater to gather around the base of your house, and, in turn, find its way into your basement through gaps or cracks in the foundation. This water can lead to structural problems, electrical hazards, and damage to your furniture, appliances, or stored valuables.
- Paint damage: When your gutters can’t pass water through your downspouts, the water will spill down your walls and cause paint to bubble or peel. Your home will start to look run-down, putting off any potential buyers if you are looking to sell.
- Soffit deterioration: When rainwater doesn’t drain properly due to gutter clogging, it can cause overflow and eventual rot or decay to your soffit and fascia.
Can Clogged Gutters Cause Foundation Problems?
The short answer is yes. When excess water from clogged gutters pools around your home’s foundation, it can weaken the structure and increase the risk of cracking.
If you don’t deal with gutter blockage as soon as possible, the overflowing water can erode the earth around your foundation and cause uneven settling. When that happens, one side of your floor will appear higher than the other, a phenomenon known as sloping floors.
Another headache you might face with blocked gutters is doors and windows that won’t close. When pooling water weakens the soil around your foundation, it can cause shifting that adversely impacts your home’s structural integrity. Consequently, your doors or windows may stick and become hard to open or close.
Foundation repairs are costly in Warner Robins, GA but you can save thousands of dollars over the long haul with routine gutter maintenance that prevents mold growth and premature damage to your property.
How to Prevent Mold and Structural Damage From Blocked Gutters
Now that you understand everything about clogged gutters, mold growth, and the mess they can cause to your home, you might ask,” How do I protect my investment against these problems?”
From our extensive experience in providing Warner Robins, GA, home maintenance services, we recommend cleaning your gutters at least once a year. You should especially do this before and after the storm season.
Suppose your home is in a heavily wooded area where gutters accumulate leaves and debris fast. You might need to schedule more frequent gutter cleanings to prevent clogging and keep the water flowing smoothly into the downspouts and away from your home.
It can be tempting to handle this task yourself, but it’s dangerous when you lack proper training or equipment. You certainly don’t want to break a limb from falling over a ladder or damage your gutters with incorrect tools.
Here are a few reasons why professional gutter cleaning in Warner Robins is worth the investment:
- Safety and thoroughness: The professionals at Propel Pressure Cleaning use proper equipment to clear all blockages from your gutters while avoiding accidents or property damage.
- License and insurance: When you hire a qualified professional to clean your gutters, you protect yourself from financial losses due to accidental damage or injuries.
- Professional gutter cleaning is cost-effective: The money you save from preventing premature repairs and prolonging the lifespan of your gutters is far more than what you’ll spend on routine maintenance.
Consider installing gutter guards and scheduling regular inspections to prevent leaves and dirt from building up and blocking your gutters. In addition, you should always look for the following signs of water damage so you can schedule professional gutter cleaning before things get out of hand:
- Water stains on your walls.
- Musty odors from mold.
- Peeling or bubbling paint due to excess moisture.
Why Warner Robins Homeowners Should Act Now
Mold growth and structural problems from blocked gutters can escalate quickly if left unchecked. Sadly, many Warner Robins homeowners skip gutter cleaning, thinking it’s an unnecessary expense or just another fall chore.
However, cleaning mold and gutters is a year-round priority. It’s a preventative investment that protects your roof, walls, foundation, and landscaping, preventing costly repairs later.
Protect Your Home and Health With Routine Gutter Care
Blocked gutters cause mold growth, which cascades to numerous problems in your home. If someone in your family suffers from seasonal allergies or asthma, they can experience health issues. Additionally, moisture damage and structural problems can reduce your home’s resale value.
You can prevent all these problems with professional gutter cleaning by the experts at Propel Pressure Cleaning. Our affordable, thorough cleaning process helps eliminate debris before it causes blockages, preventing mold and mildew from taking over your gutters, roof, and fascia boards.
Call Propel Pressure Cleaning at 478-200-0091 to book a gutter cleaning or request a local inspection in Warner Robins, GA, today!
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