How the Health and Functionality of Your Rain Gutters is Vital to the Health of Your Foundation
You might not realize how important rain gutters are to the condition of your house and well-being of your foundation. Rain gutters are designed to collect rain and runoff from your roof and run it to a proper drainage point on the ground. When working as they should, water is directed away from the house, and your foundation as well as the rest of your home are kept dry and healthy.
The Problem With Rain Gutters That Don’t Work
While the last thing you want to do is climb that rickety, old ladder and clear your rain gutters out, it’s absolutely important that you do so regularly. Dysfunctional rain gutters can lead to a variety of problems.
First, if you don’t clear your rain gutters, the dirt, muck, and leaves start to weight them down. If the gutters get too heavy, they can detach from the house and fall onto the ground. When this happens, the 1-2 hour, cost-free project of clearing your rain gutters becomes an expensive reinstallation project.
Second, poorly maintained and clogged rain gutters often don’t direct the water to the proper drainage points, overflowing during excessive rain and dropping massive amounts of water to the soil below. When this occurs, the soil expands and contracts based on moisture content – it may even freeze during cold weather. This can be a disaster for your foundation! As the soil freezes, expands, contracts, and moves, the nearby foundation may move with it, causing shifting, cracks, and sloping. If it gets bad enough, you could be faced with an exhaustive and expensive foundation repair.
And that’s not all poorly functioning gutters can lead to. Overflowing gutters can cause roof damage, and standing water in the gutters may attract bugs, mosquitoes, and other pests.
Cleaning Your Rain Gutters
Cleaning your rain gutters actually isn’t as bad as it sounds. With the right tools, a sturdy ladder, rubber gloves, and a trash can, you’re on your way! Just use your hands to dig in, removing dirt, muck, and leaves until your gutters are clear. When the gutters are almost completely clear, use a hose to flush out any excess material, making sure that the water properly drains through the downspout away from the home below. If you’re just not up for the job, you can always hire someone to do it for you!
If it’s too late and you suspect foundation damage, call Ram Jack of Texas for a free foundation inspection. We’ll be happy to take a look at your home and take care of all of your foundation needs! Remember, the longer you wait, the worse damage can get! So make sure to call us soon.
