Cleaning your home’s gutter is part of overall home maintenance and helps to protect your home’s roofing system, foundation and landscape from rainwater damage, but when they are ignored, they become clogged with twigs, leaves and other debris. The accumulation of these substances in your home’s gutters prevents it from diverting water in the appropriate direction, potentially causing a lot of damage to your property.
Problems associated with clogged gutters
Overflowing gutters can cause unexpected damage which can lead to high cost of repairs, but cleaning and checking them regularly is worth your time and efforts. Below are some of the problems clogged gutters can bring:
1. Damage to fascia and soffit areas
In reality, when gutters are clogged, water leaks to fascia boards and soffit areas. The flow of water to these areas cause the wood to rot which later leads to expensive repairs and new roofing materials. The accumulated debris also absorbs water and adds more weight to the gutters, making it difficult for them to withstand the weight and eventually fall.
2. Destruction of the landscape
Gutters and downspouts carry water to the appropriate area where it can be absorbed. When these components become blocked, water runs over the ground and can destroy your garden and flower bed.
3. Breeding of pests
According to Pest World, damp and clogged gutters are an ideal habitat for the reproduction of mosquitoes, ants, flies and other pests. Having these pests in your gutters makes it possible for some of them sneak into your home and bring diseases to you and your family. For example, Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria!
4. Damage to foundations
Whether it’s a slab or basement, dripping gutters can destroy the foundations of your home. If water floods into your home’s basement over a long period of time, the ground under your foundation becomes too wet, causing cracks and instability of the building.
5. Growing of moulds
When water overflows into your home, mould and mildew can develop, which not only looks unsightly but also causes health hazards to the occupants. These unwanted biological growths can cause skin irritation and other ailments.
Most homeowners don’t clean their gutters unless they notice a problem with them and this leads to lots of damage, decreasing the value of their investment. To protect your home from issues relating to dirty gutters, it’s crucial to clean them at least twice per year.
If you notice sections of your gutters are leaking, rather than replacing them, you can extend their life by applying our product Fastfix Wet Shield. This is a one coat instant waterproofing solution, that can be installed even in the wet.
Click here to pick up a tin of Fastfix Wet Shield today.