How Bad Gutters Can Destroy Your House
Homeowners often neglect their gutters. The gutters go unnoticed because people forget about them or even purposefully avoid them due to the hassle of providing proper care. Reaching gutters on some homes can be downright dangerous, but this is no excuse to ignore them. Call a professional out to your home to care for your gutters because leaving them unattended can have expensive consequences.
A very common issue with gutters is a small leak. If the gutter has a hole, the bare metal of the gutter is exposed to water, leading to rust and deterioration. Eventually the entire gutter structure could give way and collapse. A gutter specialist can identify and repair a leaking gutter during an affordable, routine inspection, which costs significantly less than purchasing and installing brand new gutters to replace the rusted ones.
Roofs can also suffer the consequences of bad gutters. If the gutters do not properly drain water, any water or snow that does not spill over the edge will sit on the roof. This additional weight puts strain on the roof, causing early aging. The stagnant water can also seep under the roof tiles, which will result in water damage to the wooden support structures and to the drywall or plaster surface inside the home.
If the gutters fail to drain properly, water will spill down the side of the house and gather against the foundation. The concrete foundation readily absorbs the sitting water and turns into a leaking basement. A wet basement causes its own variety of problems like mold, potential gas leaks or electric shocks, and water damage to personal items. In addition, a wet concrete foundation will experience regular contraction and expansion during the freeze and thaw cycle of winter. This upheaval weakens the structure, causing cracks, settling or even collapse.
As the water washes down the side of the house, sits stagnant on the roof, or puddles at the foundation, it has the potential to hit structural wood beams in the house. When this happens, the wood will suffer from rot and decay. Furthermore, insects love moisture, so the wet puddles and wet wood will attract pests like ants, cockroaches and even termites.
Finally, poorly draining gutters can damage the areas surrounding your house. Landscaping beneath the gutters with water spilling over the rim will suffer from oversaturation, which kills most plants. If your sidewalk or driveway lies under any spilling gutters, the additional weight of the water or snow constantly splashing on the same area will cause sagging and cracks.
While pretending your house does not have gutters may seem easier now, when you have no choice but to address a cracked foundation, a moldy basement, or termite infested wood beams, you will feel much differently. Have an expert inspect and clean your gutters at least once per year – more often if you have a lot of trees. If you live in the area of Nashville, Tennessee, contact the Gutterman of TN for a professional consultation.
As The Gutterman of TN, I understand the desire for combining beauty and style with function when it comes to the look of your home. One way to improve the aesthetics of your gutter system is to install rain chains to protect the foundation of your home from soil erosion by diverting rainwater runoff from your gutters. Widely used in Japan for hundreds of years, installing a rain chain can add a bit of Eastern decor to your house. Rain chains can also play a creative yet important part of a rain collection system. I would like to tell you more about these attractive alternatives to downspouts.
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