Clogged Gutters and Roof Health
Whether you have standard aluminum gutters or custom gutters, they are an essential component of your home's exterior. Consequently, having well-maintained gutters is critical to maintaining a healthy roof performance and extending longevity.
Gutters are pivotal in protecting your home's landscaping, indoor spaces, siding, and foundation from water damage. However, clogged clutters can negatively impact the health of your home's roofing system. The following covers a few ways clogged clutters can negatively impact the health of your roof.
1. Wood rot
One of the main victims of water leaks from clogged gutters is the wood materials that make up your home. Excessive moisture from water seepage doesn't go well with your roof rafters and sheathing.
Persistent water seepage will likely accelerate wood rot, compromising your roof's foundation. Before clogged gutters cause severe negative impacts on your roofing system, hire an experienced roof or gutter contractor like Gutters and Covers LLC to correct the problem.
2. Mold and mildew
Mold and mildew will likely grow if water fails to drain properly through your gutters. Mold and mildew are things you don't want to deal with. Getting rid of them can be costly.
Besides the cost you'll incur in eliminating the two, they also pose serious health hazards to you and your family. Moreover, stagnant water from clogged gutters can create a breeding ground for mosquitoes, further escalating the health risks.
3. Damage to your home's roofing structure
When your home's gutters get clogged with debris, they may start sagging due to the extra weight. Consequently, this can strain the soffits, fascia, and fasteners on your roof, not forgetting the gutters themselves. Eventually, your roofing structure will get damaged, requiring you to incur additional costs for repair or replacement services.
4. Ice damming
Blocked gutters increase the likelihood of ice dam formation, which can seriously impact the health of your roof. Ice dams form at the edge of a roof due to gutter clogs preventing water from flowing off the roof. Once they form, water can back up and seep under shingles and into your roof structure. We recommend contacting experienced roof and gutter contractors to help clear your gutters before the winter season.
5. Damage to your home's landscaping and foundation
If excess water seeps from a clogged gutter, this will most likely impact your home's foundation and landscaping. Perhaps you have never thought about it, but excess water is unhealthy for your backyard trees and flowers. You can compare this to watering them using a fire hose instead of a garden hose.
A clear gutter permits water to properly flow out of your downspout and channels it far from your house. If this fails to happen as designed, the excess water can damage your landscaping and foundation by causing them to shift, crack, or sink. You wouldn't want your gutter to cause such serious and costly damages. That's why you always keep your gutters in great condition to perform their work efficiently.
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