Insights

Three Big Problems with Unattended Gutters

How important are your gutters to the integrity of your property?

If you don’t have a lot of property experience, you might be tempted to think that gutters are just a small detail, and really no big deal. After all, what’s the real utility of making water flow in very specific ways as it comes off of a roof?

If you do have property experience, though, you know that every dollar you put into gutter maintenance is a dollar well spent. You don’t want to neglect this aspect of your home or property!

Plants Growing in Gutters

When gutters are not properly cleaned out and inspected, things build up quickly. You may have dirt and organic material stacked up inside a gutter, and seeds deposited there by natural processes that can start to grow within just a season or two. Then you have vegetation growing out of the end of your roof, which can clog drain pipes and introduce other problems.

Loose Gutters and Drainage Systems

It’s not uncommon to see part of a gutter or downspout hanging off of a roof or wall, often above where someone can reach without a ladder.

Along with depositing water where it shouldn’t be, loose systems can cause damage over time, by knocking against structures in the wind, or falling down and becoming obstacles in the ground. This isn’t just a nuisance (for example, maybe your kid cries about a scraping or banging sound in the night) – it can also do damage to your siding or other parts of your property, and in some ways, it’s a safety hazard. 

Pooling and Building Footprints

This problem is a major one that property owners need to consider.

When your gutters are not working properly for any reason, water can start to pool in areas of the ground adjacent to the building’s foundation. The building can start to settle, and cracks can appear in the foundation, or other similar issues can allow water to leak into the basement. Without good intervention, some of these problems can jeopardize the structural integrity of the building, which is a serious issue. Over time, you can get the dreaded “slant” where your floors are no longer level, and you have a big problem. 

At The Gutter People, we have the experience that you need to keep your property in good condition. We know that not every property owner can get up on a ladder! That’s what you have us for. Call before you encounter evident problems with your property, to benefit from excellent preventative maintenance. 

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