Gutters are an important part of a home’s exterior and help to divert rainwater away from the foundation. Without gutters, water that falls on a roof could seep into the foundation and cause significant damage to the house.
Clogged gutters allow water to pool and become too heavy for the metal attachments that hold them in place, causing them to bend or break. This can cause structural damage to the gutters and the home beneath them as the weight causes the wood fascia around the eaves and under the gutters to rot.
A clogged gutter can also create pools of standing water that are a favorite playground for mosquitoes, flies, and other insects. They love moist, shady environments and can breed in stagnant gutter water.
Bugs in your gutter can be a problem for everyone inside the house. When the moisture in a clogged gutter isn’t properly channeled away from your home, it can encourage insects to build their nests on the roof or inside the walls of your house.
Mold is another issue that can grow in your home when the standing water in your gutters stays wet for too long. When this happens, it can eat away at the wood that supports your home’s foundation and create a health risk for everyone inside your house.
In the long run, it can also make your home more expensive to repair if you have to replace rotted and damaged wood.
Keeping your gutters clean either by yourself or by hiring a professional gutter cleaning service such as Gutter Cleaning Hamilton is the best way to keep them free of these pests. This will prevent them from attracting other bugs and pests to your home, which can lead to more serious issues like rotting, mildew and mold growth.
Demolition Methods for Water-Damaged Gutters
A clogged gutter can be difficult to remove, so it’s best to consult with a professional to ensure that the job is done correctly. They can use a power washer, a gutter rake or a brush to clear the obstructions in your gutter and downspouts.
If the debris is clogged and hard to remove, you may need to employ a manual plumber’s auger to break up the blockage and push it free from the gutter. This will take time and effort, but the result will be a more manageable and effective cleaning job that is less likely to cause other problems with your gutters and downspouts in the future.
Blocked gutters can also deteriorate your landscape and garden. The concentrated heavy flow of water that is forced through the gutters can damage plant and shrub life by saturating the soil and killing them.
Excessive water pressure can also penetrate cracks and pores in concrete, causing extensive deterioration of the foundation. This can be a costly and inconvenient problem to deal with.
Structural damage from a clogged gutter is the number one cause of water damage to a foundation and it’s a serious safety hazard for homeowners who live in areas with frequent rain. The most severe consequences of water damage to a home’s foundation include rotting of the frame and fascia of the home, as well as a leaky basement that can exacerbate any underlying issues with the structure.
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