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Gutters are essential 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 transport it to a downspout, which helps discard the water from your home. This way, they prevent water stagnation on your roof, which 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. This is due to a block in the gutter that prevents the water from flowing through the channels, leading to a 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 to 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 they don’t overflow even if blocked. It is a sure sign of gutter blockage if 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 widespread 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 and tiny pests like cockroaches, grasshoppers, rats, etc.
Pests are attracted to clogged gutters for two reasons. First, blocked gutters have stagnant water, which pests use for drinking or bathing. Second, gutters also contain debris like leaves, dust particles, mud, sticks, etc., which pests 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 siding underneath the gutters indicate something is wrong with the gutter drainage. This happens because the accumulated water has debris, which makes it quite dirty. When this water slowly flows down the siding, it leaves stain marks on the surface.
The stain marks can also originate from rust issues since the gutter holds stagnant water. If it is a rust problem, you’ll find long brown or red stains running down your home’s siding.
Rusted gutters require immediate attention since they lose their capacity to hold a large amount of water and transport it efficiently. If left unresolved for a long time, gutters can also explode and flood your outdoor space.
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 lousy odour and insulation issues.
If you fix the blockages early, this shouldn’t happen. 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 entered the scene with its reliable plumbing services, affordable pricing, and complimentary inspection. Our highly skilled plumbers can quickly fix 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!
