Why do gutters need cleaned?
Gutters are one of those things you probably think about once in blue moon, if it at all, until there’s a problem. Gutters easily fade into the background amidst the long list of household chores we all must try to keep up with. Even if you know they are clogged, it’s easy to procrastinate. Doing it yourself is dirty, boring, a bit dangerous, potentially a little scary, and takes equipment (ie, ladders) you might not even own. Hiring a professional isn’t all that expensive, but that takes time to schedule too (we’re talking seconds here at Done Gutter, though) and it’s still a chunk of money you’d much rather have in your pocket. What’s the worst thing that can happen if you don’t both cleaning them? Is it really that big of a deal? It definitely can be. Like any other maintenance, you might get lucky and procrastinate for years with no obvious consequences. On the flip side though, you can very easily end up with much bigger and dramatically more expensive issues if the water that should have been diverted through your gutter system makes its way into the interior structure or foundation.
Most of us have never thought about it, but and there’s a LOT of water to divert. In 2021, over 49 inches of rain fell in Indianapolis alone. For an ‘average’ Indiana home of just 1700sqft, this would equate to more than 68,000 gallons of water over the course of the year EVEN ON A SMALL HOME! Sixty-eight THOUSAND gallons! That’s precisely why gutters are there, to take this destructive flood of water and guide it out and away from your home. When your gutters or downspouts are clogged, they rapidly fill and overflow forcing the water to take the path of least resistance often towards places it was never meant to go. It only takes a tiny fraction of that water trickling into the wrong place — behind the gutters, into the walls, into the foundation, etc. — to cause nightmarish repair bills down the road.
Foundation Damage: When gutters overflow outward, and the water splashes to the ground below, it quickly pools up and soaks into the soil directly against the home and the foundation. If ignored for too long, this soil can expand with great force which can crack and damage foundational concrete that way, or the ground can be come so saturated and soft it can actually cause the foundation to sink and shift. The cost to fix just a shifted or damaged foundation can easily exceed thousands of dollars, let alone the additional structural problems that may come about as a result of the movement.
Rotten Wood & Mold: When water overflows backwards towards the roofline, it can pool over the drip edge and result in equally expensive structural wood rot and extensive mold up and down your walls. What’s worse, is that water doesn’t go just one direction and can cause both foundation and wood damage at the same time. This rotting wood and growing mold along the roofline and trickling down through the rest of the structure can go unseen and unnoticed for years, at which point the cost for repairs can be overwhelming. Gutters can also become so heavy from debris and water volume that they simply rip themselves right off of the softened wood supporting them.
Less Costly Problems: In addition to the potential for serious structural damage, gutters can cause other issues that might be more affordable but you still don’t want. Gutters packed with debris like rotting leaves, pine needles, dirt, shingle grit, etc. create a haven for all sorts of insect activity. Centipedes and ants love the damp, dark little ecosystem that forms. While these bugs may or may not lead to true problems per se, they’re gross and unwanted. In warmer months, standing gutter water can also become a breeding ground for mosquitos and foul-smelling algae. Not to mention that overgrown gutters just don’t look good, and can be taken as a sign of poor home maintenance in general.
If your gutters have been clogged for awhile, don’t panic. These scenarios are closer to the “worst case” side of the spectrum, and minor clogs should take quite a while to cause any extensive damage. That said, these aren’t old wives tales. These risks are very real, very expensive, and somebody somewhere discovers this kind of damage on their home each and every day. As inexpensive and easy as gutter cleaning is — especially with your friendly service providers here at Done Gutter — isn’t it worth the hundred bucks or so to know your gutters are completely free and clear of risk? There are few things worse than paying for a major repair that could have easily been prevented.
After we complete cleanings, our completion report will let you know what to watch for and even how often you should expect to need cleanings. If you’re far enough away from debris sources (aside from the roof’s shingle grit) that you just needed a one-time cleaning, we’ll tell you that too, and you can rest easy knowing your home, and by extension your wallet, is safe. Get a quick, free quote here anytime.
SOURCES:
Indianapolis Precipitation Scorecard
Average Indiana Home Size
Water Volume of Rainfall
Calculating Roof Area
