Clean Gutters: 3 Reasons Why Simple Exterior Maintenance is Essential

8/13/2021 (Permalink)

The professionals at SERVPRO are prepared for any size disaster!

Having clean gutters is a sure way to keep your property safe from unwanted damage!

With fall right around the corner, the experts at SERVPRO of Union, Towns, Fannin & Gilmer Counties want to ensure that your gutters are clean to prevent unnecessary water damage. In the following blog post, we will be going over why well-maintained gutters are necessary for a home and the three damages caused by dirty gutters.

Why are clean gutters necessary?

We are sure that you have heard multiple times that your gutters are an important part of your home, but do you know why? Clean gutter systems will help prevent water from seeping into the building and causing costly damage to your property's structure.

Additionally, your property's gutters will protect against mold and mildew growth that can lead to structural damage. In the following paragraph, we will share a real-world scenario that our SERVPRO professional handled last fall.

Real-world scenario

Last fall, our IICRC certified professionals received a call from an elderly property owner who found water and mold damage in the basement of their vacation home in Blue Ridge, Georgia. During our initial inspection, our professionals located the cause of the loss.

At first, we thought that the cause of the loss was a foundation leak, but after further inspection, we found out that a gutter clog was the culprit. When we looked at the gutters, we noticed that they were full of debris that prevented water from flowing away from the property.

In this particular case, water backed up into the roof and down into the walls causing wall water damage and a flooded basement. To move forward, we performed demolition to remove all the materials affected by mold and set our industry-standard drying equipment.

The property was completely dry and free of damaged materials within five days. To go the extra mile, we put together an extensive insurance estimate for rebuilding the property. After approval from their homeowner's insurance, we began to rebuild the customer's dream basement. In the end, the property owner was extremely happy with the finished remodel and told us that their new basement was better than the damaged one.

4 Damages caused by dirty gutters

Keeping leaves and twigs out of gutters is crucial for protecting the structure of your home and preventing costly damage. Having dirty gutters can lead to the following three different issues:

1. A damaged roof - When water continues to flood over a gutter system, it will cause excess water to potentially rot the roof's fascia.
2. Interior water damage- Rainwater may not drain properly and may cause water damage to the interior of a home. (See above case study)
3. A cracked foundation- Excess water around your property will occur when a property's gutters are clogged. Pooling water will eventually start deteriorating the foundation of a home and cause cracks.

Final thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the importance of having clean gutters and the three types of damages you want to prevent. To ensure your property does not experience water damage caused by dirty gutters, we recommend you check your gutters at least once a month to ensure they are functioning correctly.

Clean gutters are essential for preventing water damage, and they also help prevent the growth of mold and mildew in your home. Please contact us today for any further questions about water damage and tips on how you can prevent damages from occurring in your home.

SERVPRO of Union, Towns, Fannin & Gilmer Counties is a well-known water damage restoration company in north Georgia. All of our SERVPRO professionals are highly trained and are ready to handle any size disaster!