Home ownership can be a joy and a privilege. However, along with home ownership comes the annual upkeep and maintenance of your property; cleaning your gutters is a key item on this list. A certain subset of homeowners considers this upkeep in their list of joys of home ownership. Some, however, find the upkeep of their home to be more of a chore than anything else, and yet still others didn’t even factor any of this upkeep in when buying their home.

What does a clogged or leaking gutter have to do with my foundation?

The purpose of rain gutters is to channel water off the roof and away from your home’s foundation. When your gutters become clogged, it can play host to a variety of problems for you and your home. It can send water cascading down the side of your home where it ultimately pools around the foundation. When water is allowed to accumulate around your home, your foundation is put at serious risk. The possibility of erosion damage becomes real when nothing is done to mitigate it.

Erosion weakens your home by slowly removing layer after layer of foundation until it cracks and begins to leak. For those of you who don’t think erosion isn’t a big deal, I encourage you to do a little research about how the Grand Canyon was formed. It’s certainly an extreme example, but it’s only meant to demonstrate how powerful erosion truly is.

Once the foundation is eroded past the point of no return, it begins to crack. This cracking is serious and creates the possibility of your home caving in. A total collapse is the worst possible scenario resulting from this cracking; however, minor damage is also quite likely. Cracks in your foundation can lead to leaks, flooding and/or mold growth.

How do I know if my gutters are a problem?

Take a walk around your house while it’s raining (do NOT do this is there’s lightning) and check to see if your gutters are overflowing and/or leaking. Clogged downspouts are another area to look out for. Always make sure your downspouts are not clogged and that they are carrying water away from your house’s foundation.

For those homeowners who either consider gutter cleaning a chore or those who didn’t consider it at all from the get-go, the Gutterman is here to help. Our philosophy is to provide solutions to any problem related to your home’s gutters and water drainage. We are here to listen to your concerns, evaluate your situation and offer honest, straightforward advice. Give us a call today!