Autumn has finally arrived and the season is in full swing. The temperatures have dropped, giving the wind a chilly edge, and the leaves have started to change, making the landscape beautiful. The yellows, reds, and browns mixed together in the trees always makes for a breathtaking sight this time of year. Unfortunately, homeowners know that these stunning scenery turns quickly into a hassle. If you are a homeowner with a lot of trees on your property, you know the painstaking work of clearing the yard of leaves. For every leaf you pick up, it seems like three more fall, which turns raking into a nonstop event. Now, imagine if you left all those leaves to sit in your grass. Depending on how many trees you have, there might be a pretty thick layer on your lawn. This is exactly what your gutters look like this time of year if you do not have a professional out to clean them, and this problem can wreak havoc on your home.
Gutters are often neglected by homeowners, usually unintentionally, because they blend right into your home and rarely seem to cause any trouble. Within a clear, well-installed gutter system, the water should roll off your roof into the slightly pitched gutter, where it then flows to a vertical drainage pipe that empties the water onto the ground a safe distance from the home. Simple enough – when this is how it happens. However, blocked gutters can cause you tens of thousands of dollars in property damage
The first place of damage in a clogged gutter is to the gutter itself. The leaves and other debris that build up there in the fall quickly start to decay, particularly if any moisture has been trapped in with it as well. Considering how unusually wet the fall has been this year, there is likely a substantial amount of water sitting in the gutter. This water and decaying material can quickly start to affect the gutters themselves. While gutters are meant to withstand water, they are not intended to hold water long term. If your gutters are metal, they may start to corrode and leak. In addition, the weight of the water and debris in the gutters could cause the gutters to separate from the home or fall completely to the ground. Replacing gutters is a costly, troublesome job, meaning it would be wisest to just have them cleaned every year.
Clogged and overflowing gutters can also damage your home. The water that should empty out into the yard ends up spilling over the gutters right at the base of your home. This creates a large pool of moisture that sits next to your foundation. At this point, the possibilities of damage increase significantly. Your basement or crawlspace may begin leaking. That could lead to the growth of mold or mildew. Water in your foundation could even result in foundation cracks as the concrete expands due to the freeze and thaw cycle of winter.
If you need your gutters cleaned this season to prevent thousands of dollars in damage, contact The Gutterman of TN for a professional consultation. Your home deserves this care.