Your gutters are responsible for draining the water from your roof and carrying it away to somewhere safe. Keeping the way clear for the easy flow of water is an absolute must. Now that fall is in full swing, it is even more important. Sure, you are probably aware that clogged troughs are a tragedy waiting to happen, but are you aware of exactly what happens when you don’t clean your gutters in the fall?
Few are.
Here are a few of the things that can go wrong if you don’t get up there and clear your gutters out.
A Leaky Roof
If water isn’t able to drain off of the roof, then chances are it’s going to start leaking through. If the shingles become totally soaked, they can’t keep water out of your home. During the winter, the problem can be magnified with the colder weather. You will begin to notice more moisture in the home, stains, and perhaps severe water damage if the leak isn’t repaired immediately.
Pest Infestation
All of that debris built up in the gutters is enticing to insects of all kinds. This habitat is likely to attract a few of the usual suspects: termites, carpenter ants, and bees. What’s worse is when it starts to get really cold, they may be attracted to the inside of your home. The last thing you need to ruin a beautiful autumn day is having to deal with insects like these every time you leave the home.
When all of the water falls out of the gutters around the base of your home, it weakens the soil. Each time it rains (and it rains a lot here in Vancouver!), your foundation is going to be bombarded with floodwaters. This could easily cause it to crack over time. Extreme water damage can cause structural failure. The most likely result for you is basement leaks, heaving, and water damage to the home. None of those options are very fun.
Rotting
When your gutters are clogged, the water flows over the sides rather than through the downpipe and to somewhere safe. When this water gets on the home, it could cause rotting. Once the water infiltrates the outside, it can easily spread from there.
Cleaning your gutters is not a chore that you should skip. If you don’t have them fully cleaned, you can look forward to a few of these problems here. Instead of that, you can look forward to a visit from one of our gutter cleaning pros in Surrey!
