Clogged Gutters? 4 Ways They’ll Do Damage to Your Home
Your home’s gutter system may be one of those components of your home that you don’t really think about often. However, they’re very important. Without proper maintenance and upkeep, they can cause significant damage. In fact, here are four ways clogged gutters can lead to costly repairs:
Fascia Boards and Wood Siding
Your gutters are often held onto the house with wooden fascia boards. When a blockage occurs in the gutters, they will fill up with water and the water will cause the fascia boards to rot. In addition, if your home has wood siding, the overflow from the gutters will deteriorate the siding and it, too, will begin to rot away.
Foundation
Your gutters drain the water that comes off of your roof and away from your home’s foundation. However, if there is a clog in your gutters, then the water may build up in the gutters and start pouring over the sides. This will result in a pool of water around your home’s foundation. Over a period of time, this may lead to cracks in the foundation as well as other damage, which may result in collapse.
Landscaping
When the overflow of water comes out of the gutters, it hits the ground directly beneath it. If you have any shrubs, small trees or flower beds in these areas around the base of your home’s exterior, there is a very good chance that they will suffer significant damage.
Roofing
During the winter, the overflow can result in the creation of ice dams. When snow melts and your gutters are clogged, the water refreezes in the gutters creating icicles. The gutters may end up sagging or breaking altogether. The melting and refreezing process continues and may eventually allow water to make its way underneath shingles and into your home causing interior damage in addition to exterior damage. It is important to note that ice dams can occur even when your gutters are clean, but clogged gutters increase the risk of the formation of ice dams.