In the Midwest, we are lucky to experience the changing of the seasons. Each one has its own set of maintenance requirements for homeowners, however, with raking leaves being a notable one in fall. Before moving on to shoveling in the winter months, it is essential to remember one very important fall household chore – cleaning out the gutters! Forgetting about this can lead to future problems, like the following:
Water Overflow
The purpose of gutters is to keep water, including melted snow, away from the house. If you head into winter with the gutters clogged with fallen leaves, the snow and ice will collect on top. With nowhere to go, the melted water will then overflow too close to the house. Too much water hitting the house can result in dangerous mold growth, damage to the siding, or saturated interior wallboards and framing.
Structural Damage
Clogged gutters that prevent snow and ice from melting and flowing properly can result in major damage to a home’s structural components. Water pooling around the house can lead to erosion of the soil which can cause foundation issues. And although icicles are beautiful, they are caused by ice dams and can do major damage to the roof.
Damage to the Gutters
Clogged gutters will collect snow, which will then melt and freeze, and then collect more snow on top of that. And so on, as the season progresses. This will result in a lot of added weight that the gutters are not designed to withstand. This can leave you with sagging gutters that pull away from the house or even fall off completely.
Unnecessary Expense
Of course, all of these possible issues that can result from clogged gutters will need to be taken care of. Whether it is a DIY project, or something more extensive, it will end up costing you time and potentially a lot of money. Preventative maintenance is always more efficient than trying to fix problems that could have easily been avoided.
When you work with Lakes Area Home Inspections, you can be sure that you have a qualified, experienced and certified inspector looking out for all of the important details – like properly functioning gutters. Our extensive checklist of interior and exterior points of inspection will give you confidence in the true condition of a house. Call us at 262-818-0911 or visit lahigroup.com for more information.
LAHI serves the entire area of Northern IL and Southern WI. If you are in Johnsburg, Libertyville, Schaumburg, St Charles or the surrounding areas, give us a call at (224) 334-8885 so we can get you on our schedule
Additional information can be referenced HERE