Clogged Gutter Problems Cause Roof Damage. Clogged gutters can cause cracks and changes in sidewalks and driveways. Clogged gutters will cause water to accumulate and settle on the roof. That water will seep into your home and damage your shingles, roof and more.
It can also cause the gutter system to deform and become heavy before it detaches from the structure of your house and takes part of the roof with it. When gutters become clogged, water will not be able to properly divert from your home. Instead, water will spill down the side of the gutters, causing a number of different problems, such as foundation damage, structural problems, mold, and basement flooding. These problems can be costly and cost homeowners thousands of dollars in damages.
When it's cold, ice dams (also known as frozen water clogs) can form in any gutter, especially if that gutter has not been recently cleared of blockages. Any residue makes it much easier for ice to form from water at the molecular level. Rotting wood, which can be caused by clogged channels, is irresistible to insects, including termites and carpenter ants, that live in humid environments and the wood that feed on them. If left untreated, a termite infestation can cause serious structural damage to your home, depending on the amount of wood they consume.
You may not have a basement, but every house has a foundation. Clogged gutters can cause water to enter the sand, dirt, or clay your home sits on. When it gets too wet, the base may change, causing cracking and buckling. Clogged gutters can cause excess water to overflow and build up around the foundation of your home.
If left unchecked, this excess water can cause cracking of the base. When the foundations of your home are damaged, they can cause structural damage to your home. When gutters are clogged and temperatures drop below freezing, ice causes problems in several ways. Clogged gutters become heavy and can leave your home.
If water has flowed down the gutters to the terrace, driveway or sidewalks, it can freeze and cause a risk of slipping. Your gutter system should be cleaned every season to ensure that your home is properly protected against costly water-related damage. If you live in a location that experiences heavy rain and a lot of leaves during the fall, it might be worth cleaning gutters quarterly. If there is enough debris left in the gutters for long periods of time, excess weight will begin to wear down the gutter itself.
Fallen gutters on their own aren't particularly damaging to your property as a whole, but as they begin to move away from your roof, the gutters could come off and bring with them some of the outside of your home. If you have an entrance, you risk damage or destruction in the same way if you don't regularly clean the gutters to avoid blockages. If you notice water spilling down the sides of your gutters like a waterfall, it's a telltale sign that you've clogged the rain gutters. This is because cleaning gutters can help prevent anything from honeycombs to a bad foundation.
If you can't remember the last time you climbed the ladder to clean the clogged rain gutters, you probably need some serious cleaning. One of the best ways to prevent a basement from flooding is with an effective gutter system that includes aluminum gutter covers. LeafFilter Gutter Protection installs right on top of existing gutters, preventing debris, leaves, tile sand, pine needles, everything but water, from entering and clogging gutters. Wait for a particularly dry and sunny day to arrive, carefully remove debris from the gutters, and then flush the gutter system with water.
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