It can feel like a hassle to clean out your gutters every spring, but it’s a necessary task that can save you a lot of headache once summer arrives. Gutters need regular inspection and cleaning, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional gutter contractor. Without such maintenance, your gutters could become clogged, collapse, or pull away from the house — ultimately causing exterior damage and water damage to your home.
Clogged gutters can be even worse than if you had no gutters at all, leading to wet basements, siding damage, rot and leaks at the roof’s edge, all of which can get quite costly to fix. On top of that, standing water can be a breeding ground for pests such as mosquitoes. Don’t let clogged gutters ruin your summer. Here are some benefits of regularly cleaning out your gutters.
Clean gutters can…
Protect Your Roof
The last thing you need this summer is a big roof repair bill to pay amidst your summer vacations with the family. Gutters that are allowed to build up with debris will cause water to pool around the roof’s edges, seeping under your shingles and through cracks. This will start to weaken the shingles’ hold while damaging the underlayment, resulting in leaks. These leaks can then lead to mold, mildew and interior structural damage.
Protect Your Yard
The responsibility of your downspouts is to carry the water from the gutters above out into your yard, away from your foundation. However, clogged gutters cause water to cascade over the edges of your roof in sheets. This will waterlog and erode the grass, mulch, shrubbery, and other landscaping below.
Prevent Rooftop Gardens
Lots of things can get caught in your gutters, from leaves and twigs to acorns and nests. When this debris starts to break down, it creates an organic bed that plants can thrive in. In spring, pollen feeds the plants growing in your gutter.
If see spot plants start blooming from your gutter, you need immediate gutter cleaning, as those plants will only get bigger and add to the weight and pressure put on your gutters. If left unchecked, sagging and cracking will occur to your gutters, eventually leading to damage to your roof and walls.
Prevent Pest Invasion
Pests love organic debris as well. For example, birds can make their nests in your clogged gutters, dive-bombing anyone in the vicinity who dares come too close to their babies. The added strain on your gutters from a bird’s nest causes damage as well. Bees, hornets and wasps can also build their hives in your clogged gutters, not to mention mosquitoes who need standing water to breed.
Prevent a Cracked Foundation
A cracked foundation could be the unfortunate result of clogged gutters, which can be very expensive to address. Water that’s not properly diverted away from your foundation can seep into your basement causing leaks, as well as causing your foundation to swell, crack or shift.
Even minor cracks in your foundation can’t be ignored because they will deepen over time due to the pressure of the house and changes in moisture and temperature.
Don’t be sidelined by these issues this summer. If your gutters are clogged, get them cleaned out. If they’re in disrepair, hire a professional to fix them. And if you have no gutters at all, call for gutter installation before the dog days of summer hit.
Contact Allstar for Gutters
Allstar is your best source for gutter repair, replacement, and cleaning. We install gutters in a variety of materials, such as aluminum, galvanized, steel and copper, and would be happy to discuss the best option for you and your home. Get your free online quote on gutter installation today at 701-409-2709.
