Gutters often go unrecognized for the amount of work they do to protect your home and your family. Gutters play a vital role in keeping water away from your home and keeps you from having to pay costly repairs. Yet, people take them for granted and don’t check on them from time to time. Over time, gutters fall into disrepair or become clogged. This can lead to leaky roofs, water damage, and worse. With the arrival of spring, now’s the time to clean and repair them.
The Importance of Gutters
Protecting Flower and Garden Beds
Many homeowners plant flower gardens or ornamentals around the foundation of their home. Not knowing that water from a clogged gutter could wash out everything the next time it rains. The dirt in your flower beds and gardens is easily eroded by water from an overflowing gutter. All your hard work could be washed away if you aren’t checking on your gutters from time to time. It’s important to keep water flowing away from your house.
Prevent Water Damage to Your Home
Water flowing into your flower beds is the least of your worries when your gutters are clogged. Excess water can back up and seep into your home through cracks and crevices in the siding and shingles. The process is slow, but by the time you finally notice the wets marks on the ceiling or walls of your home, the damage has already been done. In the winter, ice dams can become too heavy for gutters to hold and may pull away from your home. This can expose your trim and wood to water damage.
Reduce the Risk of Cracked Foundation
Your gutters play a vital role in protecting your home’s foundation from damage. When your gutters are clogged and water spills over the sides, it sits around your foundation, where it can lead to cracks. A cracked foundation can threaten your home’s integrity, including uneven floors and cracks in your walls. Foundation cracks can also lead to basement flooding, which in turn can lead to black mold. Keep in mind that the average cost to fix a cracked foundation can range anywhere from $2,000 to over $10,000. So keep those gutters clean.
Avoid Fascia Damage
The fascia board is the longboard that runs along the lower edge of the roof does all the work of supporting the gutters. When clogged gutters get too heavy from water or ice, it can cause the gutter to break away from the fascia. This can damage your fascia board and even expose vents that lead to your attic, making it very easy for rodents and insects to invade your home.
Ward Off Pests
Gutters clogged with leaves and other organic matter can make attractive nesting spots for rodents and insects. If you have any weak spots on the exterior of your home, this could lead to uninvited guests. Rodents like squirrels and mice can easily gain access to your attic through your roof. Water in gutters is attractive to female mosquitoes, which require standing water to lay their eggs. If you wonder where all the mosquitoes are coming from after you have dumped out all the water in your yard, check your gutters.
Hire The Pros At Colonial Lawn & Garden
To get the very best results that last all summer, you should call the pros at Colonial Lawn & Garden. We are experienced at cleaning out gutters, and our crew can help you identify and repair gutters that need maintenance. Give us a call today at (509) 966-1655 for our Yakima office or for our Tri-Cities office call (509) 371-1655. You can also contact us online here. To learn more about other home and garden topics, don’t forget to subscribe to our monthly blog and like us on Facebook and Twitter!
