Why Is It Necessary To Clean My Gutters?

It’s fall — that time of year when all of those beautiful leaves that have been on the trees do what they’re supposed to do when the temperature begins to drop. Leaves fall on sidewalks, streets, yards, and lastly, your gutters. One may think that since gutters are open on either end that leaves would work their way through the downspout or get pushed out by rainwater, but that isn’t always the case.

Gutters and downspouts can get clogged, and that’s when trouble ensues. Let’s examine why it is critical to remove leaves and debris from your gutters, how you can tell if gutters are clogged, who do you hire to clean your gutters, and how often your gutters should be cleaned.

How Can I Tell It’s Time To Clean or Repair My Gutters?

The gutter system on your house acts as the traffic control for rainwater. Gutters this time of year work overtime to ensure rainwater gets funneled properly. Here are the signs that it’s time to clean or repair your gutters:

1. Rainwater Is Overflowing From the Gutters

The gutter system is designed to drain the rainwater from the roof away from the house. This is to protect the underlayment of your roof and the siding from excess moisture that could lead to wood rot. When gutters are clogged, they lose their ability to control water overflow properly. The result is water buildup that overflows onto the siding rather than draining away from your home.

2. The Gutters Are Sagging

Clogs are the most common cause of sagging. When there is an accumulation of leaves and debris in the gutters, the water has nowhere to flow. This backup can not only cause water overflow, but the backup can damage the gutters. The soggy leaves and debris weight will cause the gutters to sag and cause stress to the gutters. Gutters were not designed to handle this extra weight, and sagging is often the result.

3. Water Stains on Siding

Notice any streaks or stains running along your siding? That could be a sign that your gutters need cleaning. The water that is backed up overflows onto the siding, and the staining is the result.

4. Standing Water Around Your Home’s Foundation

The absolute last thing any homeowner wants to experience is a damaged foundation. A home’s foundation is the base that anchors your home to the ground while preventing moisture from getting inside. Clogged or damaged gutters can cause damage to your home’s foundation. When the water penetrates the ground, the soil expands. That expansion places extra stress and pressure on the walls of the foundation. This is especially dangerous in the winter months when the foundation gets wet, freezes, and thaws. This is called the freeze-thaw effect, and it can cause cracks in the foundation.

5. Plants Are Growing From Your Gutters

This is a sign that the excess dirt in your gutters needs to be cleaned out.

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The bottom line is if you notice any of the signs above, it’s time to call a professional gutter cleaning service before any damage happens to your foundation or wood rot occurs. Professionals gutter cleaning companies will clean and flush your gutters and downspouts and make sure that the water flows out of them freely.