Are gutters really that important to Ottawa homes? The short answer is yes. Gutters are one of the most essential pieces of protection for a building, since they funnel water away from vulnerable places. As an Ottawa homeowner, you probably already know how essential maintenance can be; that’s precisely why you should be cleaning and maintaining your gutters just as often as other parts of your home.
Here are some reasons why regular gutter cleaning and maintenance is important:
Preventing Roof Damage for Homes in Ottawa
This is one of the biggest benefits to keeping your gutters clean. When the eavestroughs (another name for gutters) are congested with debris—fallen leaves, sticks, dirt—any water that gathers inside might end up pooling. When that happens, the water will pool and pool until it spills over the edge of the eavestroughs or freezes entirely. This will cause water to soak into the shingles or run down the facade of the house. Should this happen in the winter, you might end up with an ice dam that weighs down the gutters until they are ripped away from the roof.
Clean gutters let water pass smoothly down the roof and out the downspout, far from the foundation.
Pest Prevention
A clogged gutter is begging to become the home for birds, mice, and other pests. Sometimes, mold might develop, too. You don’t want any of those things finding a path into your home, especially since that means they have clawed their way into your home, worsening the already existing water damage.
Clean your gutters to prevent insects and animals from making it a breeding ground. This also gets rid of any animal waste or food that is left behind.
While the problem with leftover feces or food might not be obvious (it’ll just get washed away, right?), there is something you need to consider. When pests infiltrate any part of the home and leave waste behind, that introduces bacteria and pathogens. Sometimes, that could mean introducing mold or allergens into your environment. In turn, the health of you or someone in your family could be affected.
Stopping Basement Flooding
No one wants to deal with a flooded basement. It’s a miserable experience that often causes much more problems than meets the eye. But how do eavestroughs cause a flooded basement? Easy. Neglected gutters often overflow or crack because of the weight of pooled water and debris. Since the water is not transported a safe distance from your home, it seeps into the soil close to the foundation.
Cracks in the foundation can happen naturally, especially with older homes. However, if your eavestrough system is working, there should be little to no water reaching those cracks. Water will affect the foundation gradually and eventually get into the basement, where flooding may be severe or cause mildew growth or pest problems.
Cost-Effective
One way to eliminate the unpredictable is to take care of things that you know could cause problems. Cleaning out your gutters is a cost-effective maneuver that is far more preferable to getting a roof or gutter system replaced. Taking preventative measures and working on your gutters every season will minimize the overall cost of roofing, home, and yard maintenance. It is even more time- and cost-effective to hire a professional to clean and maintain your gutters than it is to wait for problems to occur.
Keeps Your Ottawa Property Looking Impressive
When you think of poorly maintained gutters in the Ottawa area, you can’t help but imagine a rundown residence and overgrown yard. These things just happen to go together. Unfortunately, that means that no matter how nice you keep your yard, if the gutters look neglected and have debris visibly clogging them, it’s going to diminish the value of your home. Few people will buy a home in the capital city of Canada that has broken down gutters.
If you want to keep your property looking the best it can be, you can’t overlook your gutters.
This is also true if you have a landscaped yard. Imagine a clogged gutter dropping buckets of water onto the bed of flowers and mulch you worked so hard on. Not only will your flowers be ruined, but it will make your yard look like a mess. Protect your yard and your curbside appeal by cleaning and maintaining your eavestroughs.
Extend Your Roof’s Lifespan
Did you know that clogged eavestroughs can also affect the condition of your roof? Since the gutters are attached to your roof, any overflow of water could get into the underlayment and accelerate deterioration. In the winter, those pools of water might freeze, destroying the roofing shingles or tiles while thawing.
Gutters are built to last for about 20 years, while roofing can last up to 50 years with proper maintenance. Keeping your eavestroughs clean and maintained will positively influence the lifespan of your roof, too.
Stop Gutter Damages
Last but not least, stopping damage to the gutters of your home means that your gutters continue to function as they should. During summer rainstorms and winter precipitation, you want your gutters working optimally. If you leave debris in your gutters from the fall and that freezes in winter, you risk ice dams, cracking, and other issues that could leave your home exposed to serious issues.
Clean your gutters now and prevent a long list of problems from ever occurring. It doesn’t take long, and you can also install gutter guards to limit how often you need to clean. Also, keep a look out for corrosion and rusting. Patch up those places to keep water from affecting the foundation of your home.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now understand how important it is to clean the gutters on your Ottawa home. Maintained gutters are crucial to more than just the appearance and health of your household. There are dozens of hidden dangers involved with ignoring your gutters. If you’re unable to maintain the eavestroughs on your home, you can always call a professional roofing contractor for assistance. They may also be able to install gutter guards.
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