Yes, You Actually Have to Clean Your Gutters!

The purpose of a gutter is to carry water away from a building to a good drainage area. If gutters are not cleaned, material will build up in the gutter channel and water will overflow onto the building and foundation. When this happens, a number of nasty side effects could occur.

Overflows: Rain gutters and downpipes are designed to channel rainwater away from the home and its foundation.

When water overflows, one of several things are likely to happen:

• It will run onto and over the eaves of your house, back into your roof and then into your ceiling.
• It will splash onto the ground under your gutters, causing erosion of garden beds and water pooling along the walls.
• It will run down the exterior walls of your house and saturate your foundations, which can lead to structural damage over time

Leaking gutters and roofs: A leak can cause mold and rotting, possibly leading to the gutter falling from your roof.

Your gutters play an important role in protecting your house. They’re one of the most underrated barriers against water damage that your house has. Leaving your gutters blocked with leaves, twigs, and debris leaves your house open to the destructive nature of water. Gutters are designed to reroute water and keep it away from your roof, siding, and foundation; the three areas that are the most devastated when damaged by water. If left unchecked, this dampening could become worse, resulting in mold and mildew. You could end up having to replace your roof and siding or have your foundation repaired sooner than if your gutters had been properly maintained. Keeping your gutters clean and properly maintained is both beneficial and crucial in protecting your house.

Cracked foundation. Cracks may form if water spills over the sides of blocked rain gutters, causing water to seep into the foundation and freeze.

• Foundation cracks occur when water is absorbed into the house. They are more likely to occur during colder months due to freezing temperatures and possible frost heave.
• Water build-up can cause wall cracks and cracks in the foundation itself.
• Water backed up in gutters is heavy which can cause the gutter attachments to pull away from the wood fascia they are attached to, damaging the wood. This is not as easy to see and this damage could eventually lead to mold in your house.

Insect invasion: Where there is moisture, bugs will go. Without a properly maintained gutter, bugs will grow to love your wet and moisture-filled gutters.

• Nasty critters like carpenter ants, roaches, earwigs, mosquitoes and even termites can cause an infestation in a non-maintained gutter.
• Lots of critters like dark, damp, or remote places like a gutter, including birds, rodents, bees, and other insects.
• Decaying leaf matter can also contain mold spores or other bacteria that could pose a health risk when inhaled.

Drowning Your Landscape:  When a gutter is damaged or unable to retain water, the water then leaks out to the landscape, including your exterior plants. Overwatered plants can turn dull and die, causing an ugly and drowned landscape.

This drowned landscape can also result in stagnant pools of water on your property. Stagnant water with a high organic level that remains for longer than seven days is an ideal breeding site for mosquitoes, especially between early June and the end of August. By cleaning your gutters you can eliminate the need to treat stagnant water, reduce the mosquito population in your neighbourhood, and reduce your risk of mosquito borne illness.

Source: Homeservice Club of Canada