Chances are you didn’t give thought to your gutter system or clogged gutters during the holiday season and into January, but it’s essentially a long trail of cause and effect. If you had clogged rain gutters back in the fall before the snow started falling and the cold temperatures rolled in, gutters can potentially “ice dam” and become a terrible problem. Learn how to prevent snow-related gutter issues now to avoid costly repairs in the future. Make sure to follow every safety precaution if you have to clear snow off your roof or deal with ice damming in your gutters.
The weight of the snow and the ice can easily pull a gutter away from the house causing major roof damage. Additional gutter problems like flooded landscaping, mold, paint mildew, erosion, and soggy yards are only a few of the areas that may be affected. These gutter problems are easy to prevent when a free-flowing gutter system is in place. The damage to the foundation of the home is a particularly costly expense that can result when gutters aren’t draining water efficiently.
Water can pool up around the foundation and seep into the basement causing flooding. Some of the areas around the home that can be damaged by faulty gutters are obvious, like flooding and detached gutters and wood rot. Some damage can be less visible until it’s too late. Poor water drainage can cause mold to grow within the walls of the foundation and insulation. Water saturation can also be an invitation for many pests such as termites.
Many home and business owners have already taken a proactive approach by checking their gutters for some obvious signs of damage. Regularly assessing the condition of your gutters and the surrounding areas go a long way in terms of prevention.
The best way to avoid clogged gutters and check for damage is to ensure that the gutters are properly attached to the home with no signs of sagging or separation at the seams. Obvious enough, right? Once spring arrives, you can check the integrity of your gutter system on a rainy day or by using your garden hose; inspect the area around your down spouts making sure that water can flow unobstructed. This is a simple way to see if the gutters are “flowing” freely.
Early detection of snow-related gutter problems will allow homeowners to take the proper steps to ensure the integrity of their home.
The gutters may seem like only a small part of the home but gutters have an enormous responsibility when it comes to protecting your home from a silent enemy: Water.
Unchecked rain water that sits in clogged rain gutters, due to leaves or debris blocking drain spouts can do serious damage to your home. Clogged gutters can cause severe roof and foundation damage making homeowners foot the repair or replacement bill.
