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As a homeowner, there are many steps you can take to keep your home’s exterior in good shape. Replacing old siding, trimming away vegetation, and routinely checking the shingles for damage are a few examples. Each of these tasks will help keep your home structurally sound, keeping out things like problem-causing water and pests. One of the easier home maintenance projects that might be overlooked is maintaining the gutter system.
Your gutters are a safeguard to prevent rainwater from pooling at your home’s foundation, causing flooding and damage. They are designed to drain water out and away from your house. However, if they become blocked with leaves and other debris, they can quickly become more of a problem than a solution. The frequent storms throughout the Spring and trees shedding their leaves in the Fall result in the two times of the year when it’s most critical to have clean gutters. Failure to maintain your gutters could have drastic consequences! If you don’t think it’s a big deal and that rainwater will eventually wash away any debris, here are some of the issues you may find yourself dealing with down the road:
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Mold in the Spring
Mold and mildew love warm, damp environments. A pile of rain-soaked leaves sitting in your gutters in the sun for a few days after a Spring storm? Bingo! Mold is also known to spread quickly and come back, even after it has been removed. It can also produce quiet an odor, and eventually cause decay if left untreated. It’s not a pretty picture to imagine, but having gutters full of mold and mildew will inevitably lead to replacing the entire gutter system – all from a pile of wet leaves! It’s worth it to get rid of the debris before it becomes a hotspot for mold and mildew.
Cracked Gutters in the Winter
As temperatures approach freezing in the winter months, standing water in the gutters can become an ice threat. Not only does newly formed ice strain the gutters with extra weight, but it can easily cause breakage and cracks as it expands. Cracked gutters don’t do a very good job of funneling out rainwater, leaving your home’s structure and foundation at risk for water damage.
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Serious Structural Damage
Structural damage to your home from poor water drainage is an extreme case, but certainly still something to be aware of. Water damage resulting in wood rot is both costly and time-consuming to repair. Excess sitting water can cause pressure against the walls and the floor, expanding and shifting the home’s structure and foundation. Your home could even sink if the issue is left unresolved!
It’s crazy to think that any of these major issues could occur simply from not taking proper care of your gutters. However, gutters were designed to prevent these problems in the first place, so if you keep them clean and in proper working order, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
If you are concerned about the condition of your gutters or need help getting them cleaned out, now is a great time to address the issue! Mike’s Guys Handyman would be happy to come take a look. Cleaning your gutters out now and again in the fall will help keep your home safe year-round. Contact us today for more information!
Warm Regards,
Mike’s Guys
