4 Dangers Clogged Gutters Pose to Your Home
Gutters are a critical but often overlooked component of a functional roof system. The gutter system allows effective roof drainage to protect the rest of the structure. To work smoothly, your gutters require proper maintenance through inspection, cleanup, and regular repairs. Clogged gutters are one of the most serious problems that regular maintenance resolves.
While a clogged gutter might not look like a big deal, the problem causes gradual but costly home damage. Here's how a clogged gutter threatens your home.
1. Foundation Damage
A house is only as stable as the foundation. The foundation carries the weight of the entire structure and supports your home even in extreme weather. A good foundation lasts for decades with no need for repairs. However, water damage poses a great threat to the structural integrity of the foundation. A clogged gutter is one reason for foundation water damage.
When roof water drains down the walls, the pools on the ground next to your foundation push and eventually seep through the walls. With time, small cracks and holes allow more water entry and compromise the strength of your home's foundation. As the surface or groundwater leaks through the walls, the foundation weakens and you need to carry out costly repairs.
2. Costly Roof Damage
Roof damage is costly to repair, with repairs running from $377 to $1,662. Water damage is the most common type of repair homeowners encounter in home maintenance. If you haven't cleaned your gutters recently, the risk of roof damage is high.
The roof water pools on your roof and damages the roof materials with an increased risk of fungus and mold growth. The roofing materials can't hold the weight of the pooled water and break or crack under the pressure. If you don't unclog the gutters, more roof parts fail and you have to pay even more for repairs.
3. Shortened Roof Lifespan
The best roof systems last from 15 to 30 years or even longer. With proper maintenance, your roof requires minimal repairs. Gutter cleaning is one of the essential roof maintenance tasks. If you don't maintain the gutters properly, your roof is at risk of water damage. Roof repairs might not exhaustively resolve some forms of roof damage. You might have to replace the roof to enjoy the best protection for your home.
4. Interior Home Damage
The best roof system keeps your home's interior dry and protects against water damage. To function effectively, the roof requires an efficient drainage system that includes the gutters and downspouts. If the gutter clogs with debris, the roof water has nowhere to drain and ends up in the underlayment of your roof. Roof water leaks downwards into your home and causes interior structural damage.
Signs of interior water leaks in your home include wet patches on your ceiling, damp walls or water pools next to walls inside your home, damp basement, and efflorescence on walls. Roof leaks start gradually, but with increased precipitation, the problem worsens and more water seeps into your home.
Mold infestation is another safety hazard caused by roof water leaks into your home. The wet conditions on your walls and floors provide ideal conditions for mold infestation. Toxic mold grows on walls and other wet surfaces and causes respiratory complications, skin and eye irritations, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. If you notice an increase in illnesses in your household, consider a roof inspection to determine the condition of the gutters.
Worried about the condition of your gutters in Burke, VA? Our roofing team at Mr. Gutter, LLC, is here to help. We're the area's premier gutter service delivering excellent gutter solutions. Contact us today for all your gutter needs in the area.
