7 Hidden Dangers of Clogged House Gutters
Living in a house is far more demanding than living in an apartment and everyone who has lived in a house for at least a year knows that. In addition, it is very beautiful and offers various possibilities, but the time and effort you need to invest in its maintenance is huge. When you live in a building, all you care about is just your apartment, and there are services that maintain everything else.
When you have a house, everything is your responsibility. Precisely because of such a large volume of work, it happens that we neglect some things, thinking that they are not so important, and in fact we are wrong. One of the parts of the house that we all tend to forget are the gutters.
Once we have installed the new ones, that’s it. This is not true, because we have to maintain them regularly to make them last as long as possible. But its service life is not the only thing that can be compromised. Many other parts of the house can be damaged due to clogged gutters. To realize the dangers of this, read which are the hidden dangers of clogged gutters.
1. Roof problems
The roof is one of the most important parts of our house. That is why we have to maintain it as good as possible, in order for it to function at least 20 years and even more. Clogged gutters are one of the main culprits if the roof deteriorates faster than it should. There is a few reason why this is so. First, if they are not cleaned, a lot of water, instead of in the ground, will end up on the roof and thus damage the tiles, timber and everything else. Second, and no less important, is the extra weight that the roof will suffer from water that does not pass quickly enough, but accumulates. This will cause balance problems and also impair the quality of the roof.
2. Damage to the foundation
When we talk about the foundation, double damage is also done if they are not cleaned, just like in the case of the roof. Instead of gutters draining water as far as possible from the house, and thus the foundation, due to clogging, water will accumulate and flow into the foundation, which will eventually damage it. Cracks will appear and this can upset the balance of the whole house. Also, it will be exposed to more weight because water does not flow, but accumulates, just like when we talked about the roof.
3. Mold
As we know, moisture causes mold. After a flood, for example, it takes only 24 hours to form a mold. Here the process will be slower, but eventually the mold will certainly appear due to the constant accumulation of water. First it will happen in the attic, and then on the walls, etc. In the end, the characteristic smell of mold will be felt in our whole house. And it is also not safe, because mold causes allergies and various respiratory diseases. So it is best to invite professionals to clean it for you. Find out at www.guttercleaningspecialists.co.uk what gutter cleaning service includes.
4. Damage to the yard
You must have invested a lot in the decoration of your yard because it is your little oasis where you relax from city life. And that is why you certainly don’t want it to be submerged in water. And that will happen if your gutters are clogged. The water will start pouring in all directions because it can’t pass where it should and will flood your flowers, grass and furniture. The trees will not be damaged, but the flowers will be destroyed. All this will lead to expensive yard remodeling work and most likely you will have to buy patio furniture again.
5. Damage to wooden parts
Many parts of the roof, including the gutter supports, are made of wood. This is not always the case, as they are often made of metal, but if yours are made of wood, water will severely damage them. They will start to rot very quickly because although they are intended for outdoor use, they still can’t be waterproof. If they start to rot you will have to change them much sooner than you intended to. And it can happen that you do not notice that they rot and that this leads to the fall of gutters, which in addition to material damage can also lead to injuries to people in your household.
6. Flooded basement
This is an even more urgent problem than foundation damage. Damage to the foundation of the house, no matter how serious, does not happen overnight, while the flood in the basement can hit you during a severe storm. During a storm even clean gutters have trouble accepting all the rain that falls, and for the clogged it is a mission impossible. This can lead to flooding in the basement. This is a particularly big problem if there are important things in your basement. Maybe in the basement is your men’s cave or even the place where you work. You may also have stored some important things here. And it often happens that the heating installations are located right in the basement, the damage to which can lead to great danger, because the gas or electricity installation will be damaged.
7. Ice accumulation
In places where the climatic conditions are such that snow and cold temperatures are common, ice accumulation will certainly occur. This is even a problem when you maintain gutters regularly and especially when they are clogged. As the water stays in the gutters for too long, more and more ice will accumulate and thick layers of ice will form that will not melt easily. This can completely clog the gutter and lead to major problems. Also, the ice is heavy and will additionally burden the whole house and the roof.
Conclusion:
We are sure that you did not think of all these hidden dangers that can happen to you. So be responsible and maintain them regularly to keep your home safe.
