Our gutters help to channel water away from our buildings and into drainage areas. If they are not cleaned, materials clog the drains and gutter channels, leading to excess water and flooding. As leading gutter cleaning contractors in Bucks County, PA, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners avoid damaging their homes.
If you didn’t know, several things can happen if you fail to maintain the gutters and drains on your property.
Rotten Wood
When gutters clog up, water overflows onto your building and can get trapped in the drain after rainfall. This excess moisture will cause wooden fascia and soffit boards to deteriorate over time. As the wood rots, it will spread to nearby areas such as attic spaces and ceilings.The decay can also provide an accessible entrance for bugs and rodents. Additionally, soggy debris can make your gutter fasteners loosen, leading to sagging gutters.
Foundation Damage
If you don’t clean out your gutters and the water inside them overflows, it will pour along the foundation of your home. This water can soften the soil beneath and surrounding your property, ultimately weakening the foundation. If the foundation of your home gets wet and then freezes, it could eventually heave and crack. In extreme cases, this can cause structural failure.
Leaking Roof
Ice and rain will build up on top of your roof or in your gutters if they are not appropriately cleared. This often leads to roof sagging and water entering a house, resulting in leaky ceilings and structural damage to attic areas.
Insect Infestation
The moist debris that collects in gutters is an attractive environment for insects. These insects will also be attracted to the inside of a building as the weather gets colder. Wood-eating insects like carpenter ants and termites love rotting leaves and branches, so if you don’t clean your gutters, they’re bound to come and feast on the wood that’s left behind.
Landscape Damage
Falling water from blocked gutters can drown plants and impact grass. As these plants die, their roots fail to contribute to holding the topsoil in place. Water can then wash away all exposed sand and topsoil. If this natural reaction is left untreated, it can etch away at the landscape beneath your gutters and leave a ditch.
For additional information, or to speak with our gutter or vinyl siding contractors in Bucks County, PA, click here to contact us today.
