As we turn to the beginning of fall and look forward to winter, the Halloween season is upon us. For many, dressing up and getting candy is a fun time. For others, part of the fun involves turning to scary ghost stories or classic schlock horror movies. In the spirit of scary stories, we thought we’d take a chance to tell you about some of the horrors that could take advantage of poorly maintained rain gutters to sneak up and damage your home...right..NOW! (hey, it’s corny, but it got you to keep reading, right?)
Bugs
Who hasn’t had a nightmare of some chitinous giant bug coming from space to take over the Earth? We’re pretty sure we all saw that movie. Well, giant bugs from space may not exist, but there are bugs from above that could pose a real risk to you and your home. If your gutters are clogged, the backup of debris like twigs and fallen leaves, along with standing water, turns your home’s gutters into an ideal environment for all kinds of creeping and crawling insects. As the weather begins to turn cold, these critters are pushed to find some form of shelter, and from your gutters, the next natural step is to go into your home. As they migrate to your home’s interior, these bugs begin to feast on whatever they can find, and in some cases that can include the material your home is constructed of. What’s more, the waste products they leave behind after eating enter the air inside your home, and along with the bugs themselves, a real health risk is created.
Mold
We turn to another terrifying tale, that of the unnatural creature that has no face, no eyes, and no heart, but is filled with an unending desire for human flesh! Call it “The Blob” or “The Stuff,” this creature isn’t just the thing of Hollywood special effects magic. It may not be as huge as the monster on the big screen, but if you haven’t taken care of your gutters there is such a monster that could be living in your home! Mold can get a foothold in the backed-up gutters just like the bugs do, and it spreads from there. Mold damage can affect the structural integrity of your home’s walls, and releases spores that can aggravate allergies and affect the breathing of those living in your home.
Water Damage
Maybe you don’t like horror movies, but instead, you prefer a natural disaster picture. Something with the Perfect Storm or a Titanic shipwreck! Again, you can face natural disasters in your home as
well. While it may move more slowly, the damage to your home in the end can still be catastrophic. With clogged rain gutters, your roof can’t drain correctly, leaving standing water both in your gutters and sitting on your roof. What’s worse, the insidious thing about water damage in the winter is that it progressively causes more damage as it goes. You start with a little standing water on your roof, which leads to a small leak. Well, as the temperatures begin to drop, that water expands, meaning it opens the leak even wider. This means even more water gets in when the temperatures move back up during the day. That water then freezes again, causing more damage. What started as a small leak became major damage to your roof, attic, walls, and other portions of your home’s interior. Standing water in clogged gutters is just as bad. Over time, it causes excess strain on the mounting and fascia, which causes gutters to sag, meaning more water accumulates instead of draining out. This eventually leads to water damage in your fascia and walls.
All of this is to say that while there’s certainly fun to be had at this time of year, make sure you’re also taking the time to ensure your home is taken care of. Call us today to schedule a gutter inspection and cleaning!