Are Clogged Gutters That Big of a Deal? | SERVPRO® of Downtown Charleston

4/4/2022 (Permalink)

If you suspect your property has taken on water damage, reach out to SERVPRO of Downtown Charlestown.

Home maintenance can be overwhelming at times. It seems like in every corner of your house there’s something that can be fixed or maintained to prevent potential damage to your home.

So when it comes to home maintenance is it really that big of a deal to overlook some things from time to time? One of the most commonly overlooked home maintenance tasks is clearing your gutters.

Are clogged gutters as big of a deal as they’re made out to be? Let’s look at the two main reasons you should keep your gutters clear.

1. Roof Damage and Leaks. The whole reason you have gutters installed on your home is to allow rainfall to flow from the roof to the ground and well away from your home. When your gutters are clogged, water pool on top of your roof until it becomes too heavy for your roof to handle.

You’ll start to notice water dripping or even pouring from your ceiling when cracks form as a result of too much water gathering on the roof. The leaks will increase until you remove the standing water and clean up your gutters.

2. Foundation Issues. If your gutters fail to perform correctly, it might jeopardize the general integrity and reliability of your house, reduce property value and can result in costly foundation damage.

When water isn’t directed away from the home’s foundation properly, it beings to pool along the soil against the home. Over time, the soil is compromised, causing it to erode and shift. Erosion and soil shifting around your foundation can weaken it, ultimately resulting in foundation cracks or a shifting or sinking foundation which causes a whole host of issues inside and outside of your property.

If you’ve observed leaning or bending walls in your basement, this is a sign that something is wrong with the foundation. Foundation cracks, wall cracks, ceiling cracks and stuck windows or doors are all indicators of foundation issues. A faulty foundation can lead to flooded basements and crawlspaces.

If you suspect your property has taken on water damage, call SERVPRO of Downtown Charleston to clean up the mess. Our certified professionals will get the job done professionally and get you back on your feet quickly.