How Clogged Gutters Can Damage Your Home
Gutters keep your home safe and dry by providing a path for rain water to pass through and exit. This prevents pooling and eventual damage to your roof and home.
But what happens when gutters become clogged? Well, a whole boatload of problems. Indoor water stains, streaking grime, chipping paint, and even cultivating mold are just a few of these.
Not only will these things bring your property value down, they can also become unpleasant health hazards. And of course, maintenance is cheaper than repairs, so if you don’t keep gutters unclogged, you’ll be shelling out more in the long run.
Not convinced? Well, keep on reading as we talk about what can clog gutters and what you can do to keep your gutters in the best condition possible.
Here’s a teaser: After reading this article, you’re definitely going to see the need for gutter cleaning in Kent!
What can clog gutters?
Gutters can become clogged and damaged for many reasons.
Leaves and twigs
Leaves and twigs are particularly common. Whether brought by wind, rain, or from the trees near your house, they tend to lodge themselves in house gutters.
A couple of leaves and twigs wouldn’t be too much of an issue. However, if you leave them there for a long time, they can start to dam up your gutter. This makes it hard for water as well as other particulates from passing through and out the drain pipe.
That’s also the reason why regular roof cleaning in Kent, WA is important - to ensure that debris on the roof doesn’t go into your gutters. If you don’t want to risk and roof damage, you can Google “soft wash roof cleaning near me” to find a cleaner that will treat your roof gently.
Slush
Oh, and another problem with the aforementioned twigs and leaves? Over time, they, in combination with some particulates, can harden or become a kind of slush. This further blocks the passage of water both on the gutter and eventually through the drain pipe.
Foliage
Do note that the slush mentioned above will also eventually invite foliage growth… and possibly critters like birds, snakes, and rats, to live there as well. And if you have them living in your gutters, they’ll add unnecessary weight to the gutters and damage them.
Pooled water
Because of your gutter clogging situation, you will eventually have pooled water in your gutters. The water will cause rust and erosion. Over time, your gutters will be so damaged, so you’ll have to shell out for costly repairs or replacements.
How can you know that a gutter is clogged?
There are two ways to check if your gutters are clogged.
By looking at the gutters themselves
Check out your gutters, and see any of these are occurring:
- When it’s raining, check out your gutters for a quick minute and see if there’s water spilling over the sides. If there is, then that’s a sure sign of clogging.
- If you see plants sprouting from your gutters, that’s a sure mark of you getting clogged gutters.
- Again, check your gutters out if it’s raining but this time, check the downspout area. If there’s no water exiting, or if the rain is strong but there’s very little water coming out, that’s another sign that you have clogged gutters.
- Finally, look at your gutters and see if they’re starting to sag. If they are, that’s because there’s already a buildup of debris and other stuff inside. It’s time to unclog those gutters before the situation gets any worse.
Check for drips or droplets in your home.
If for any reason you are unable to check the gutters, the signs to look for instead are if there are any drips or droplets appearing in your ceilings or your walls. You’ll be able to see these if there’s heavy rain occuring.
Do take note that water seeps where it can and a drip can travel far from the source of the original leak. This makes it hard to identify where to plug the leak. The situation is also often compounded by the fact that, unless it’s raining, you won’t see the leaks occurring.
It’s also important to note that you cannot do any repairs or cleaning while the downpour is occurring. Just hunker down, take note of the location of the drips, and keep drying the wet areas. It is important to not let the stress of the situation get to you; just focus on doing the clean-up.
What are the visible house water damage signs from a clogged gutter?
Here are some signs to look out for:
- Some drips, especially ones that streak down a white wall, may not be immediately noticeable. So, after any heavy rain, take the time to inspect your interior walls.
- Some issues you will notice from prolonged leaks include paint chipping, streaking grime, and even mold.
- Stains are probably one of the first things you will notice. Grimy water isn’t friendly to surfaces and will leave nasty dark black, gray, or brown streaks. This occurs as leaking water soaks up any dirt or grime that it encounters on its way into your house.
- Look for stains or lines on appearing on your walls or your ceilings. Not only are they bothersome to the eye but they’ll eventually erode those surfaces.
- Look out for crumbling or rotting wood. Expose wood to enough water and it will eventually start to crumble, and at worst, rot.
- Check out your painted walls for any bloating that may be occurring. Your concrete won’t be affected in terms of structural integrity but you’ll have to repaint.
How to maintain your gutters
We’ve seen the effects of water damage, with all its possible physical effects on your home and wellbeing. So, what can you, as a Kent homeowner, do? The solution is simple – do preventive measures like keeping your gutters clean, and even roof cleaning on your Kent home.
Gutters, like your house or car, need constant maintenance to keep them working. Being exposed to the elements year-round, means they take quite a beating. This makes it important to keep them free of any debris, foliage, or even critters.
Do note though that this will require you to physically go up the roof with a trowel and brush. Best to have gloves on, as you may need to use your hands to grab and pull any debris. Finally, you’ll also need a hose to wash away the dirt, as you may need to use some water pressure to remove tough grime.
Get Experienced Roof and Gutter for professional gutter and roof cleaning!
Cleaning your gutters is definitely backbreaking work. So if you want to leave it to the professionals - and get a surefire good result, look no further than us Experienced Roof and Gutter Cleaning!
Whether you need gutter or roof cleaning in Auburn, WA or gutter roof cleaning in Federal Way, WA, it won’t be a problem, as we serve the general Seattle area. And if you’re Googling “softwash roof cleaning near me”, well, we do that too!
Reach out to us for a free estimate. We look forward to hearing from you!