If you have trees near your home, odds are there will be sticks, leaves and other debris falling into your gutters. This can be problematic when it builds up and causes a blockage where rain water cannot flow through. If a gutter system cannot direct the water to the downspout and away from the home, collected rainwater will just sit stagnant and can start to cause a variety of problems.
Water stuck in your gutters makes a great habitat for insects like mosquitoes and flies to flourish; it also makes it easy for mold to grow. These unwanted intruders can spread diseases and can cause damage to your home.
When gutters are already holding pools of water and not draining properly, they are likely to over flow when it rains. The water will keep accumulating until it begins to overflow from the side of the gutter. The fascia board, a straight board that runs along the lower edge of the roof that the gutter attaches to, could begin to rot after taking on some water damage. Not only that, gutters full of water and debris are heavier than they were ever intended to be. The weight of a full, clogged gutter can pull on the fascia board and cause them to break. If this happens, it will need entirely replaced which makes your clogged gutter exceptionally costly.
When the rain pours over the side of the gutter it can splash down the homes siding. Siding is not meant to handle constant streams of water so if this problem is not resolved it can cause several issues. Wooden siding may become warped and vinyl siding can lose its color, affecting the look and the security of your home. If they take on water for a long time, it can eventually seep between the siding and get into the walls causing damage to the interior and mold to grow within the home.
A homes foundation is also at risk of damage because the water that overflows from the gutter will pool at the base of the home. This can cause the foundation to crack over time and eventually crumble. Water needs to go somewhere, so once it starts saturating the ground around the foundation of the home, it will leak into cracks or holes in the basement. Their may be flooding inside the home which could potentially damage anything stored inside.
So what do you do if your gutters are constantly clogged? Gutter guards are a potential solution for a home located near a lot of trees. A typical gutter guard covers the top of your gutter so that large leaves, twigs and debris cannot accumulate within them. There are holes in the gutter cover which allow rain to flow through it and into the gutters where they can flow away from the foundation of the home
This does not mean that your gutters will no longer need maintenance, though, because leaves will still accumulate on top of the gutter covers. If to much debris pile on top, they can plug the holes and prevent efficient flow of water into the gutters. If the holes of the gutter guard are covered, they can have similar damaging problems as a gutter without the guards. Although, it is less likely and after a longer span of time.
Maintenance is easy though as the leaves will just need removed once they have begun to pile up. The gutters will be able to properly drain a lot easier with the gutter guards especially in a wooded areas.
If you think gutter guards would be a good fit for your home, give us a call at 440-322-1343 for a estimate on an install.