Gutters are an essential element of
your roofing system. Without gutters, the water from your roof could
flow directly down to your home's foundation, causing erosion and
water damage. However, gutters that aren't well-kept can cause their
own problems as they become damaged from weather and other hazards.
Here are some of the types of damage
gutters can face and steps you can take to protect your gutters.
1. Ice and Snow
Ice and snow can pose several different
threats to a gutter. For instance, if enough snow falls on your roof,
the snow could start melting from the heat in your attic, run down to
your gutter, and form a solid block of ice. A gutter full of ice
becomes very heavy and could collapse, work loose from its fasteners,
or crack from the expansion of the ice.
Of course, ice and snow can also cause
an ice dam leak through this same method. Once ice builds up at the
eaves of your roof, melted water will have nowhere to run and may
find its way under your roof. So protecting your gutters and eaves
against this blockage is particularly important. One way you can
minimize this possibility is with good attic ventilation.
You should also have your roofing
contractor check your attic insulation, replacing any wet spots and
closing up any gaps under the insulation that could let warm air
through.
2. Falling Debris
Just like your roof shingles, your
gutters can also suffer damage from falling debris. Any trees that
live near your home should be kept trimmed back for this reason.
Since gutters stick out away from the edge of the house and are only
supported in a few spots, they can be especially vulnerable to
falling limbs.
Protecting against debris is usually as
easy as having someone trim any trees and other tall vegetation back
from the building. Be sure to schedule this work regularly, since
trees can often grow back quite quickly.
3. Flooding and Clogs
Ice isn't the only thing that can clog
a gutter. Bird nests, fallen leaves, moss growth, and similar
materials can also clog the point between the gutter and the
downspout. When this happens, water can't drain freely out of the
gutter, and the gutter could flood.
An overfull gutter that doesn't drain
well can spill water onto your siding and cause water damage to your
fascia board, and the gutters themselves may be damaged as well. For
one thing, the brackets and fasteners holding the gutter up will be
strained. They're not designed to hold that much weight.
Additionally, the gutter itself may sag
under the weight of the water and cause damage so that, even when the
clog is cleared, the gutter won't be at the optimal angle for
draining anymore. The side of the gutter could also bow out, allowing
water to stream downward and causing permanent gutter damage.
Cleaning gutters out on a regular basis can help to avoid clogs.
4. Pests
In addition to birds' nests clogging
your gutters, you may find that pests damage your gutters in other
ways as well. For instance, bird droppings could result in corrosion
if you have metal gutters. And heavy nests can weigh down the gutter
until it warps out of shape.
Gutter guards may help keep pests out
of your gutters. Discuss with your contractor which type of gutter
guards will work best for the types of pests you have trouble with.
These are some of the forces that can
damage gutters. Proper gutter maintenance, maintaining your attic
ventilation and insulation, using gutter guards, and keeping an eye
out for pests can help you ensure that your gutters don't become
damaged. For more information on the gutter system services, get in
touch with Cal Roofing
Systems Inc.
today.
