What Happens When You Don’t Clean Your Gutters?

Gutters are an essential part of your roofing system and leaving them clogged or dirty can quickly lead to serious consequences. So, exactly what happens when you don’t clean your gutters?

Well, our team here at Gutter Masters of New England is here to tell you everything that you need to know. As New England’s leading provider of gutter repairs and installations, we are more than familiar with the damage that dirty gutters can cause.

Here are some common problems happen when you don’t clean your gutters:

 

Insect Infestation

Oftentimes, gutters become clogged with organic material and debris that insects feed on. Therefore, dirty gutters can become a breeding ground for termites, roaches, carpenter ants, and other vermin. Aside from being kind of gross, insect infestations can cause intense structural damage to your home if they aren’t exterminated.

However, once an insect infestation starts, it can be tough to find a good exterminator. In some cases, you might even need multiple exterminators to get the job done right. To spare your stress, time, and money, it is best to avoid this problem altogether.

Structural Damage and Flooding

The main purpose of your gutter system is to help drain rainwater properly and efficiently. However, if your gutters are clogged, all that water no longer has a place to go.

Gutters full of standing water can cause your roofing, shingles, soffit, and fascia boards to dampen and soften, which can damage your home’s foundation, your basement walls, your crawl space, and your attic.

To prevent such water leaks, foundation damage, basement flooding, and more, we advise you to regularly clean and unclog your gutters. However, if you recently have cleaned your gutters and are still noticing structural damage, it might be time for a new rain gutter installation.

Landscape and Driveway Damage

As you can probably imagine, clogged and waterlogged gutters lead to sagging and overflowing water. While this might not sound like a huge deal, overflowing water is a major threat to both your landscaping and your topsoil. Many plants are unable to handle large amounts of water, so overwatering is a quick way to damage your foliage.

In addition to damaging your home’s foliage, overflowing water can also seep and pool underneath your driveway’s foundation. This eventually creates cracks, shifting, and holes, which—aside from being a major trip hazard—can cause significant damage to your vehicle.

Gutter Installation and Maintenance in New England

If you were considering skipping out on your annual gutter clean-out, we hope that knowing what happens when you don’t clean your gutters convinces you otherwise. Not only are clogged gutters unsightly, but they can lead to numerous structural and damaging problems that we’re pretty sure no one wants to deal with.

If you need help with your rain gutter clean-out and repair, our team of gutter professionals is here to help. With over 30 years of combined experience and hundreds of satisfied customers, we’re confident that we can provide exactly what you need.

Ready for a free estimate? Contact our team today and let’s get started!