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Gutters are important for protecting the foundation and siding of your home.
Plus, they help prevent flooding and rot in low-level areas, such as the basement and crawl spaces. When it rains, the gutters collect the water that falls on the roof and transports it to a downspout, which helps discard the water from your home. This way, they prevent water stagnation on your roof that can eventually seep into the walls, siding, and even the foundation, further damaging the construction.
Inefficient water drainage via the gutters can also result in rot and mould growth. And since gutters can’t perform efficiently when clogged, you must address this issue quickly.
So, here are some tell-tale signs of a clogged gutter in your home.
The most obvious sign that your gutter is clogged is water overflowing the edges or sides of the gutter. This is due to a block in the gutter that prevents the water from flowing through the channels, which leads to a water build-up with nowhere to go. To check for this sign, go outside when it rains and see if water sloshes around the edges and over the sides.
Another way you can determine whether the gutter is blocked is to check if water is flowing down the channels and out of the downspout. Since gutter systems can hold a large amount of water, sometimes it doesn’t overflow even if blocked. It is a sure sign of gutter blockage if the rainwater is not coming out of the gutter, even when there’s a heavy downpour.
Plants growing in the gutter are a common sight in clogged gutters. This is because the water stands still in the trough along with debris, so if a plant seed happens to fall in it, it’ll begin to grow. If you let the plant grow further, its root system can damage the gutter, while the plant itself can obstruct the water flow.
If blocked gutters are left unresolved for a long time, debris and water can accumulate to the point that their weight adds pressure to the gutters, making them lose their shape. This is quite a dangerous sign since the seams of the gutters start to split and loosen as they sag with an excess load. Accidents and severe flooding are very common in this case.
If your gutters start to sag severely, we recommend installing new gutters instead of simply gutter cleaning the old ones.
Many overlook this sign, but it is essential to consider this while checking for blocked gutters. If your gutters are clogged, pests may hang around in the gutter or other roof areas. The most common pests, in this case, are birds, squirrels, and small pests like cockroaches, grasshoppers, rats, etc.
Pests are attracted to clogged gutters due to two reasons. Firstly, blocked gutters have stagnant water in them, which pests use for drinking or bathing. Secondly, gutters also have debris like leaves, dust particles, mud, sticks, etc., which they can use to build nests or protect themselves from harsh weather and predators. If you find such pests, quickly inspect your gutters and resolve the issue before it worsens.
Stain marks on the sidings underneath the gutters indicate something is wrong with the gutter drainage. This happens because the accumulated water has debris which makes it quite dirty, and when this water slowly flows down the siding, it leaves stain marks on the surface.
Plus, the stain marks can originate from rust issues since the gutter holds stagnant water. You’ll find long brown or red stains running down your home’s siding if it is a rust problem.
Rusted gutters require immediate attention since they lose their capacity to hold a large amount of water and transport it efficiently. In these cases, gutters can also explode and flood your outdoors if left unresolved for a long time.
If the clogging in your gutter has been there for a while, there are high chances of water seeping into the walls and ceilings of your home. In this case, you’ll notice mould growth or mildew on the surfaces, followed by bad odour and insulation issues.
This shouldn’t happen if you fix the blockages early. However, if it worsens like this, you’ll have to hire plumbing and building professionals to prevent further damage.
Identifying a clogged gutter is relatively easy since they are external drainage and gutter systems – so, if they’re blocked, you’ll know by checking for the signs mentioned above. However, fixing blocked gutters requires careful handling, systematic removal, and appropriate tools for a long-lasting solution.
That’s when Gold Coast Plumbing Company enters the scene with its reliable plumbing services, affordable pricing, and a complimentary inspection. Our highly skilled plumbers can quickly fix your blocked gutters with advanced tools and equipment to remove any obstruction. We also follow it up with an inspection using CCTV drain cameras to check for any damage. So, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today!
