Water Damage from Your Home's Gutters

9/20/2022 (Permalink)

Lately, we have seen so much rain in the region which means the gutters on your home could potentially cause water damage! Heavy downpours fall straight into your home’s gutter system, making functional gutters essential to preventing costly water damage. When a home’s gutters are blocked, rainwater is unable to drain. As a result, the excess water travels down the siding and often finds its way inside. As moisture infiltrates the interior, what begins as a steady trickle eventually leads to substantial damage. Over time, water stains on the walls and ceiling are visible. As temperatures warm, the threat of toxic black mold growth is inevitable. The proven method to prevent water damage from gutters is to clean them at least twice annually, in Spring and Autumn. A Spring gutter cleaning removes the accumulated debris from winter and eliminates the threat of blockage. This ensures your gutters are functioning properly and will increase their overall longevity. Here are 5 Tips you can check out to make sure your home gutters are keeping you from having water damage: Regularly Clean Out Your Gutters

• Homeowners should regularly clean their gutters every few months to ensure rainwater can flow freely. Effectively cleaning your gutters means getting on a ladder and using a gutter trowel to scoop the leaves and debris out of the gutters. Once all the debris is out, use a hose to flush the gutters and test the water flow. If you do not feel comfortable getting on a ladder to clean your gutters, there are many companies that offer gutter cleaning services.

• In addition to cleaning your gutters, you should inspect your downspouts for clogs. When your downspouts are clogged with leaves, dirt, and other debris, the water has no place to go, which results in water backing up and spilling over the sides during rainstorms. If you can’t see into your downspouts, you can use a garden hose with a pressure nozzle to test the flow and clear out any clogs.

• Regularly walk around your home and visually inspect your gutters. Do you see any signs of rust or corrosion? Are your gutters dropping? Do you see any cracks? If you see small cracks, holes, or gaps, you may be able to seal the leaks with a gutter seal. If the damage appears to be extensive, or if your gutters are falling away from your home, you may have to call a gutter repair company to add gutter brackets and replace severely damaged sections.

• Gutters guards can help minimize the need to clean your gutters. These devices fit over or inside your gutters and are designed to prevent leaves, twigs, and other items from falling into your gutters. With gutter guards installed, all you have to do is brush the leaves and debris off the guards. There is no need to scoop and rinse the inside of the gutter.

• Many downspouts only contain splash blocks, which catch and funnel the water a couple of feet from your home. These devices can be displaced by heavy flows of water, which means if you do not regularly check your splash blocks and reposition them, water could pool around your foundation and/or enter your crawlspace. Instead of using the standard splash block, consider installing downspout extensions. These are flexible tubes that can be attached to your existing downspouts and placed so that the water flows away from your home and its foundation.