One of the most important parts of any home roofing system is the gutter. The gutters, which look like long tubes that hang from the sides of your roof, allow any debris that rolls off your roof to move through the system and down a series of spouts that move that debris away from your home. Gutters can keep the debris from damaging your roof and water from flooding your lawn.
4 Signs Your Gutters Need Cleaning
Below are some of the common signs that your gutters need cleaning.
1. Animals
If you only check your gutters once or twice a year, you may grow accustomed to seeing wild animals hanging out on and near your roof. While those animals might look cute, those creatures are a sign that you need to clean your gutters.
This is especially true of any birds that you see. Those birds can build nests inside the gutters from debris they find nearby. Those nests will block the flow of water and allow that liquid to either spill over the sides or back up onto the roof.
2. Peeling Paint
Depending on the type of gutters on your roof, you may want to look for any signs of peeling paint. Many newer gutters have a coat of paint on the outside and some type of sealant that makes the gutters waterproof. When the paint begins peeling off the sides of the gutters, it’s a sign that the sealant no longer works.
If you have metal gutters, you may notice flecks in shades of red or orange on the outside that indicate corrosion. These problems are potentially dangerous because it means that the gutters lack the protection necessary to keep cracks and holes from forming.
3. Mildew
One important function of your home’s gutter system is that it keeps water from pooling up around your foundation. The spouts that are part of this system extend out from the side of your house and allow that liquid to reach other parts of your lawn. Some spouts even have multiple holes along the sides that allow that water to spill out at regular intervals.
When the spouts stop working the way they should, the water can spill over the sides of the gutters and pool around your foundation. This will lead to patches of mildew forming on the foundation.
4. Stains
Before calling about gutter cleaning services, property owners should also look for signs of staining. In the same way that excess water can damage your foundation, it can also cause damage to your walls. You might notice green or brown patches related to mold or mildew. If you have wood walls, you’ll also want to inspect the wood for spongy spots that feel wet to the touch.
Water that drips down from the gutters can change the color of any paint on your walls. That water can cause rust to form on a home with aluminum siding too.
You should clean your gutters a few times a year, but you should also inspect those gutters and look for signs of damage too. Stains, mildew on your foundation, chipping paint, rust spots and the presence of wild animals are all signs that you need to clean or repair your gutters.