One of the most overlooked facets of home maintenance routine is gutter inspection. Skipping this significant maintenance task can jeopardize your home’s overall condition from being in tip-top shape.
A long list of problems can arise from ignoring the gutters. It all begins with failure to schedule regular cleaning especially if you have standard gutters installed. If you can’t remember the last time you had your gutters checked, you can already assume that they may be clogged or damaged to a certain degree already.
Even if you have the most sophisticated guttering system installed, it will not function the way it should if it’s not properly maintained. It is therefore recommended to set up regular maintenance schedule for your gutters to ensure that they will properly function at all times.
Aside from regular maintenance, looking for signs that your gutters need considerable attention will help prevent the catastrophic effects of common gutter problems. Every homeowner should be observant of the obvious (and not so obvious) indications of potential gutter troubles.
During the cold months of winter, take a look at the snow piling up on the roof and inside the gutters. Even the toughest gutter materials can succumb to the weight of ice build-up. The water may seep through the gutters and can cause water to pour out into your walls and eventually cause them to rot.
Even the autumn leaf season can bring tumultuous problems to your gutters. Regular gutters can welcome falling leaves along with other debris like seeds, twigs and dirt which can festively accumulate inside them quickly. Clogged gutters will not be able to drain the rainwater coming from the roof. Instead, it will fall off the roof or will pool throughout the foundation of the house and will cause it to crack. Consequently, a number of leakage problems will definitely deteriorate the house if not attended to properly.
Leakage problems involving gutters are easy to spot. For instance, peeling paints in your home’s exterior is a sign that there’s water trickling just above the wall’s surface. Vertical water stains at the siding of your home is a result of backsplash and continuous water dripping. Molds showing in your home’s interior are signs that water is seeping through the walls, ceiling and foundation.
It is essential to add a basic gutter inspection to your home maintenance routine to keep an eye on the condition of your home’s gutters. Early detection of potential gutter problems can help you save money from home repair costs and will lengthen the life of your gutters.
