Your rain gutters play an importnat role in keeping your home protected from the damaging effects of water. Mold, mildew, leaks, inspects, rodents, and more can all become serious problems if your rain gutters and downspouts are not in good shape. Check out our tips and recommendations on gutter problems and what you can do right now to take care of them.
If you live in a region where there is moderate to heavy rainfall then you probably have gutters on your house. You have gutters on your house, not for their decorative effects, although some can be quite beautiful, rather they are there instead for a more practical purpose. They are there to control rainwater as it is coming off of your roof so that it doesn’t end up causing damage to your home. Rainwater might be great for the environment, but if it isn’t controlled and kept from getting into damaging places in your home, then it definitely will not be great for you.
We experienced major clogs in our gutters this year because of a neighbor’s tree. We Get Gutters Clean came out right away, took care of the problem for exactly the amount quoted, and cleaned everything up before they left. We are very impressed with the service and we will have them back this fall. M. Wilson – Topeka, KS
When raindrops hit your roof, they start to slowly slide down the sides of the roof as gravity guides them on their journey to the ground below. What happens if that journey happens to deliver them to a place where they will accumulate and end up causing damage to your home? Well, water doesn’t care where it ends up, it is at the mercy of gravity and will take the path of least resistance as it journeys from your rooftop to the ground below.
The key to keeping water from getting into places where it will cause damage is to provide it with rain gutters that will direct where it flows to. Rain gutters provide that all-important path of least resistance, and direct water where it will not do any harm. If you own a home and make home maintenance a priority like you should, then you definitely need to pay attention to your gutters. We Get Gutters Clean is here to help you do just that!
What Are Common Signs of Gutter Problems?
There are many signs that are easily recognizable that indicate that you probably have a problem with your rain gutters, you just have to make sure you are paying attention to your home and looking for them. One sign that should be obvious are drooping gutters, this is especially problematic if you have traditional seamed gutters. When debris accumulates in them over time the weigh begins to place additional strain on the gutters, especially at the joints. This often causes the gutters to begin to sag, and eventually collapse. If you see signs that your gutters are sagging then it’s time to call a professional.
Another obvious sign of gutter damage or problems that you should be on the lookout for is if water is spilling over the sides of your gutters during a rainstorm. While it’s normal for a tiny amount of water to escape your gutters if you see a stream of water pouring out of the top of your rain gutter then you probably have a fairly significant blockage in there that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Not only will the water pouring over the side of the gutter cause damage to your home, a blockage will also place a strain on your gutters which could lead to them being damaged or even destroyed.
If you live in a cold weather climate then one thing you really need to be on the lookout for are ice dams. What is an ice dam? An ice dam is a dangerous build-up of ice in your rain gutter that will often lead to the gutter failing and collapsing. If anyone or anything is underneath your gutter when this happens, the results can be disastrous.
What Causes Gutter Problems?
If you have noticed problems with your gutters you may be wondering what could have led to the problem. While it is true that sometimes problems will spring up out of nowhere, the majority of the time gutter problems arise from neglect. Gutters, when functioning properly, do a wonderful job of controlling rainwater and directing it away from your home, which prevents water damage. Unfortunately, those same passageways that direct water off of your roof and away from your home also tend to collect other things in them as well. Those things include pine needles, insects, bird droppings, leaves, and a multitude of other types of debris.
You can read more from our blog about What Can Happen If You Don’t Clean Your Gutters and our Gutter Cleaning FAQs: Answers From the Pros. Or it may be the right time to Get A (FREE) Quote!
What happens when the amount of debris your home’s gutters begins to grow beyond a safe level? Quite a few things could happen, and none of them are good. Rain gutters are designed to be lightweight and efficient, so adding weight in the form of debris to them is never a good thing. Additional weight leads to gutters sagging and even collapsing. Blockages lead to water spilling over the sides of gutters. The important takeaway here is that most of the time these are issues that can be avoided by simply properly cleaning and maintaining your gutters.
One of the main causes of gutter damage involves the use of gutter guards. Gutter guards are various devices that are sold that claim to be able to keep your gutters from getting clogged up with debris. How can something that prevents debris from getting into your gutters make things worse? It’s simple, they don’t work anywhere near as well as they claim to.
While they may slow down the accumulation of debris in gutters, they don’t stop it. This causes homeowners to have a false sense of security thinking that their gutters are fine, when in fact, they are not. If your home has gutter guards on it, make sure that you still have your gutters cleaned and inspected on a regular basis or you will probably end up regretting it.
Ignoring A Gutter Problem Won’t Make It Go Away It Will Make It Worse
One of the worst things you can do is you suspect that you have problems with your gutters is to ignore it. Ignoring gutter problems won’t make them go away, in fact, it’s going to end up making things much worse. For example, if you have a blockage caused by debris, that blockage will only grow as more and more debris gets deposited into it.
This causes the blockage to get worse, which results in more water spilling over the gutter sides, possibly seeping into your home’s foundation, and into other parts of your home as well. Additional weight caused by a blockage that is increasing in size will also cause your gutters to sag, and eventually collapse.
In addition to the concern of having your rain gutters collapse, there is an even bigger problem you face if you have a gutter problem and choose to ignore it. That problem is water damage. Water can be incredibly damaging to a home, which is why homes have rain gutters in the first place. Water seeping into your home will almost always end up causing you to have a toxic black mold problem.
Water seeping into your foundation will expand when temperatures drop below freezing, which will usually lead to foundation damage. The point here is that if you suspect you have a gutter problem the last thing you should do is ignore it and hope that it goes away. Because it won’t get away, it will only get worse.
What Should You Do If You Suspect You Have A Gutter Problem?
Since ignoring rain gutter problems is never a good idea, what should you do if you suspect you have a problem? You should call a professional out to clean and inspect your gutters. A professional gutter cleaner can quickly determine if you have a serious problem, and they can either repair it or suggest someone to you that can repair it for you.
Many people don’t realize that one of the biggest benefits of hiring a gutter cleaning company is that you gain access to a set of skilled eyes that will be closely inspecting your gutters during the cleaning process. In fact, if you had invested in hiring a professional to clean your gutters on a regular basis, there’s a very good chance that you wouldn’t have the issue with your gutters that you are currently trying to deal with.
Make Sure You Choose A Gutter Cleaning Company You Can Trust
Once you have hopefully made the right decision and are looking for a gutter cleaning company that you can trust, you need to be sure that you hire a professional company. You need to hire a company that employs highly trained experts, and a company that provides those experts with the training and tools that they will need to do the job the right way. You need a company that is licensed, bonded, and insured, and that has a reputation for excellence in the industry. That means that you need to hire We Get Gutters Clean.
We Get Gutters Clean is an experienced gutter cleaning company that is committed to providing the best possible service to their customers. They make it a point of emphasis to all of their employees that they are meticulous when they are cleaning the gutters on your home, and that they pay close attention so that they can spot any problems in your gutters or downspouts. When they come to your home and finish the job, they want you to feel confident that your gutters are clean, and that there aren’t any hidden problems that could lead to water damage or your gutters failing.
We’re also a licensed, bonded, and insured company, which means that you won’t ever have to be concerned about any financial liability when they are working on your property. This is in stark contrast to a handyman service, which many people make the mistake of hiring. When you hire a handyman, you are exposing yourself to a lot of risks.
If they damage your home you are going to have to pay for it. If they end up injured on the job, then there’s a good chance you will end up paying for that as well. On top of that, it’s very unlikely that any handyman you hire will be able to perform at the same level as one of our experts.
Being Proactive with Home Maintenance Is Definitely the Best Approach to Take
When it comes to home maintenance the best approach you can take will always involve being proactive. If you are reactive, that means that you are waiting for a problem to arise and then you deal with it. This is always going to cost you more money because instead of paying for simple cleaning and maintenance, you are going to be paying for repairs. If the area of your home that needs repairs can actually lead to damage to other parts of your home, then you are going to be facing an even bigger repair bill.
In regards to gutter cleaning, it is particularly important that you take a proactive approach. Gutters need to be cleaned on a regular basis and inspected by a professional. If they aren’t then debris will build up, which can lead to gutter collapsing, and your home suffering significant water damage. The fact that people opt to forego gutter cleaning is even more confounding when you consider that having your gutters cleaned by a professional like We Get Gutters, is actually quite inexpensive.
While having your gutters cleaned is inexpensive, dealing with the fallout of ignoring and neglecting your gutters is usually quite expensive. With water damage, foundation damage, or black mold infestation you are going to be looking at a repair bill easily in the range of thousands of dollars. In the event of foundation damage, you could be looking at a bill in the range of well over ten thousand dollars in many cases.
So, ask yourself, wouldn’t it make more sense instead to hire a professional like We Get Gutters to come out to clean and inspect your gutters so you can avoid these kinds of problems? Of course, it would. Whether you currently suspect you have a gutter problem, or you are trying to avoid having to deal with one, We Get Gutters Clean can help you. If you are ready to schedule your appointment they offer the convenience of online scheduling, so there’s no reason you can’t get the expert help that you need.