Your list of fall home maintenance tasks may be extensive, but each task serves an important purpose. With so many chores requiring your attention that need to be completed within a certain time, you may be inclined to skip over some steps.
Before you overlook cleaning your gutters, it’s important to understand the reasons why you should clean your gutters each fall.
What Happens When You Do Not Clean Your Gutters
Cleaning gutters can be labor-intensive. It requires you to climb on a ladder and remove all of the debris in the gutters in small sections. The purpose of your gutters is to collect water from the roof and moving it away from the property in a specific and safe manner.
When you fail to clean your gutters, they are unable to perform properly. Here are some possible issues that you may have to deal with if your gutters stay clogged and dirty.
1. Damage to the Gutters
Your home’s gutters are connected to the structure with screws and brackets. When gutters are full of leaves, the weight may be manageable. However, when leaves, sticks, and other debris becomes saturated with water, the weight can be too heavy to hold. Some sections of the gutters could pull away from the home if you do not clean them thoroughly each fall.
2. Roof Damage
When leaves and other debris accumulate in the gutters, water cannot flow through them as needed when it rains and this will wear on your roof. Water may pool in the gutters, and a puddle could result in standing water along the perimeter of your roof.
This water may get under your shingles and cause a water leak inside the home. The damage associated with this type of water leak can be extensive, but it could be avoided altogether if you clean your gutters each fall.
3. Foundation Issues
Clogged or dirty gutters may cause water to spill over the sides of the gutters rather than to flow through the downspout in a controlled manner. When this occurs, the water can cause erosion around the foundation. It may also create excessively wet soil conditions. Both of these issues can result in serious foundation problems that otherwise could have been prevented.
4. Landscaping Damage and Erosion
Another problem you may have if you do not clean your gutters each fall is damage to your landscaping and erosion throughout your yard. Gutters collect water from the roof and channel the water away from the structure. By doing so, you will usually avoid having pools of water in the yard. Keeping your gutters clean allows them to do their job properly at all times, ensuring your home and your lawn stay in good shape.
You can clean your gutters on your own in a few hours. However, if you do not feel comfortable completing this project or if you lack the time, energy, and equipment to do so, remember that you can outsource this project to a professional contractor or handyman.
Cabal Inspection Services provides home inspection services for Southeast Florida. Contact us to book an appointment.