Roofer - Blocked Gutter Problems

Roofing Advice & Tips - What To Do With Blocked Gutter Problems?

Water is one of the most damaging substances to your home, which is why there is such care taken with roofs, eaves and gutters. If water flow is not carefully controlled, water can cause cosmetic and structural damage to all surfaces of your home including brick, wood, paint and cement. Repair of these surfaces can be very expensive. Your first line of defense against water is your gutter system. A properly hung gutter system will move water away from structures and walkways and keep water damage from occurring to the outside and, in extreme cases, the inside of your house.

Problems Caused By Blocked Gutters

Blocked gutters may seem a mere nuisance when they start but left unchecked, can cause damage to the gutters themselves as well as the fascia, brick, paint and can result in damp basements.

Other Blocked Gutter Problems

Blocked gutters may cause standing water that will add weight to the gutter system. The gutter may start to sag which can damage the gutter sections and require replacement. The extra weight may also cause the brackets for the gutter to pull away from the fascia requiring bracket replacement. If the problem is not remedied at that point, the gutter may start to overflow where the sagging section is located. If the water continually drips or runs onto pavement below, the formation of moss and algae will cause a slippery surface and a falling hazard on the pavement.

Blocked Gutters

Blocked gutters can result in ponding water being blown onto the fascia. The paint on the fascia, another line of defense against water, will start to bubble and peel leading to a need to repaint. If the problem is not resolved at this point, the water may cause the fascia to develop rot. If the fascia is not replaced, the water will continue to infiltrate and may eventually lead to wood rot in the eaves. If the water is blown in the direction of the fascia, it will also run down the walls of the house. The water can lead to moss on brick and bubbling on paint.

Possibly one of the most destructive and surprising results of blocked gutters is damp basements. One of the main functions of a gutter is to direct water away from the foundation of the house and if this is no longer occurring, standing water at the base of the house will eventually find its way into the cement and leech into the walls of the basement. Damp basements can lead to mold inside the house, which can be costly and time consuming to remove.

Repairing Blocked Gutters

Repairing gutters when a problem is first detected is an important step to protecting your house from water. It is important to clean and inspect gutters at least once a year to keep them in working order.