Gutters are certainly one of the most overlooked and neglected parts of the house. That’s probably because gutters are one of the hardest to reach areas, especially if you live in a big house with high roofs. But no matter how complicated it is to clean this part of the house, maintaining it is still a must.
Depending on where you live, the amount of debris that gets stuck in your gutter may differ.
If you live in a neighborhood where there’s a lot of trees, chances are that your gutters are clogged up mainly by fallen leaves. This may seem normal at first but once prolonged, clogged up gutters can result in several damages to your house.
In this piece, we’ll emphasize how important it is to remove all the gunk and debris from your gutters. It doesn’t matter whether you take them out yourself or hire professionals to do it as long as you clean them regularly. But more on that later.
Here are six major reasons why you must clean your gutters regularly:
1. Debris can cause roof damage
With clean gutters, rainwater flows freely from the roof to the gutters then finally to the downspouts. But if the gutter is clogged up, rainwater can pool inside the gutter and can reach the bottom of the roof. This pooling can result in crack formation on the roof shingles, which will later become worse until the entire roof is damaged.
As you already know, these little cracks on the roof can transform into bigger problems like leaks and rotted ceilings.
2. Flooding in the basement
The rainwater that pooled inside the gutter will eventually overflow and fall directly at the base of your house. If you have a basement, this could be a bigger nightmare than you think.
Water can easily seep into the ground then leak into the basement. The water coming from above can cause mould formation, destruction of paint, or worse, flooding.
3. Destroy your home’s foundation
After leaking into your basement, the rainwater can wear down your home’s foundation. As you already know, the construction integrity of a house relies mainly on its foundation. A property with a weak foundation is not safe to live in.
If you’re planning to sell the house, you’ll certainly have a hard time. Houses with unstable foundations will not pass an inspection.
4. Infestation of pests
Clogged up gutters are unsightly for us humans. But not for rats and other pests. The gunk and pool of water in your gutter is a paradise for them.
If rainwater in the gutter is not drained out immediately, it will only invite mosquitoes, termites and other rodents to settle in. Next thing you know, they’re already inside your house.
Having pests inside your house is not only a housing problem but also a health issue. Mosquitoes and rats are known for causing diseases to humans and you don’t want that to happen. Especially because they’re easily preventable by cleaning your gutter regularly.
These are only some of the reasons why gutter maintenance is important. That’s why every time you’re planning a general cleaning in your house, don’t forget to put the gutters on the checklist.
Should you DIY it? It depends on you. If you think you can do it without getting hurt or injured, do it. But as much as possible, we recommend looking for affordable guttering services instead.
Cleaning your gutter is not as simple as it may seem. It requires experience and the right tools. It’s also a task that is prone to accidents. Especially for first-timers. That’s why it’s better if you let the experts handle it so you could just relax and do other things that you need to do.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
