Cleaning our gutters is one of those things that we put off and put off, and put off some more. That’s if you’ve even thought about it in the first place. They’re certainly not exciting and probably never front-of-mind. Until they stop working.

Then the doo doo hits the proverbial fan and you realise what a silent, unassuming but extremely important part gutters play in your household.

Gutters are there to do one thing and one thing only, protect the structural integrity of your home. When you don’t clean your gutter, things can happen which prevent them from performing their pivotal role.

So, what can happen if you don’t clean them regularly? Let’s take a look:

The foundations of your home are at risk

Basically, the only job of the gutter system is to whisk the rainwater away. When the gutters are filled with stuff – leaves, muck, and other debris – the rainwater gets stuck and starts to overflow, pouring over the sides down the walls of your house. If this is allowed to happen over a period of time, it can cause all sorts of damage. Roof damage, ceiling leaks, foundation movement, structural damage, mould, damp, decay. All things that can cause nightmares for any homeowner and have serious implications for your house i.e. leaking ceilings collapse eventually, mould and damp come with serious health-risks, and movement or structural damage will cause a huge hole in your pocket.

Regularly cleaning your gutters prevents this from happening by not allowing any debris to build up. Therefore, ensuring the water can flow freely away from your home.

Water causes the exterior wood to rot

If your house is wood, has wooden siding, or the Fascia boards that hold up your gutter system are made of wood, the overflow from the blocked gutter can cause it to rot. And we all know that rotting wood isn’t stable or secure. Rotting wood can cause some expensive damage to the structure of your home.

The gutters themselves will be damaged

If you allow water to pool in dirty gutters, it’ll cause them to rust and degrade faster than they should. This will mean they’ll have to be fixed or replaced sooner. Therefore, costing you more money. High quality, well-maintained gutters can last for decades with just a small amount of maintenance.

Your insurance company may have grounds to say no

Water damage can cause pretty hefty repair bills. Damaged roofs, foundations, walls, ceilings, are all extremely pricey to fix but thankfully, can be covered by your insurance. Beware though. Insurance companies are fully aware that the root cause of this sort of damage can be from unmaintained gutters. And they aren’t afraid to use this against you when they say no to your claim. Make sure you check your product disclosure statement (PDS) and their specific inclusions and exclusions when it comes to water damage to your home.

Stagnant water attracts some uninvited guests

Think about where little critters like to breed and flourish. Dark, dank, stagnant pools of water. Then think of what a gutter blocked with leaves and debris, full of rainwater that can’t go anywhere, would look like. Regularly cleaning your gutters will prevent a breeding ground for unwanted pests forming, Avoiding additional costs for pest control.

Water damage to your home can be extremely costly and damaging. Just cleaning your gutters regularly can prevent that from happening and save you a lot of stress and heartache in the future.

Article provided by Bax Gutter Solutions