Water Damage Caused By Clogged Gutters
If you have water damage to your home and are located in or around Raleigh please visit our water damage page today.
If the rain gutters on your home collect too much plant debris, like leaves, twigs, and pine needles, then the water may not be able to drain properly and could spill over the sides. When the water pools around your home, instead of draining away, it can slowly seep in and cause damage to the foundation and wooden structure.
As water soaks into the tiny cracks in the concrete foundation, it can make the cracks larger, especially when it gets cold enough to freeze. As the cracks grow and multiply, the structural integrity of the foundation is compromised, and it can lead to a serious shift in your home, or even it’s collapse. Aside from the obvious safety concerns, this is an incredibly expensive problem to repair, and one that can go unnoticed for years, as it’s underneath the house. Once the obvious signs begin to appear, the damage is done, and simply drying the foundation won’t fix the issue.
It’s a similar story for the wooden structures on the underside of the house, as well. As the wood absorbs the water, it can begin to rot and grow mold. Just like the cracks in the foundation, this is a problem that will continue to worsen, and drastically weakens the strength of the wooden beams. Not many people regularly look at their home for this type of problem, and it can slowly but steadily deteriorate your home.
The best course of action to prevent either of these issues is to address the root of the issue as soon as you can. The source of the water should be stopped, and in this case, that means making sure that the gutters are clean and clear, and that rainwater can flow freely towards its intended destination. There are several different approaches that you can take to solve this issue. Climbing up a ladder and cleaning them by hand every year is a great way to save money but at the cost of manual labor and personal risk. Alternatively, there are gutter protection systems that stop any debris from entering your gutters at all, keeping them clean all year round for you. The downside here is that these systems can be costly, and may need to be replaced every few decades.
If your home is suffering from water damage due to clogged or overflowing gutters, it’s recommended that you contact PRS today. We’re available 24/7 through our emergency hot-line at 919-467-1991. Our trained and certified professionals will be able to determine the severity of the damage and work with your insurance company to keep your out of pocket costs to a minimum.
As a preventative measure, you could always get protection from your gutters from a company like this: Raleigh gutter guard protection.
