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Gutters and the Job They Do

Gutters and the Job They Do

Gutters do a lot of things for homeowners and many of those tasks are not obvious. Yes, they keep rain from pouring down around entry ways, but they do more. For example, gutters are a tool that helps to keep your home from flooding. Gutters work to prevent water damage such as mold and dry rot. Here is a list of other things gutter help to do:

  1. Roof damage –  When leaves and other debris clog up your gutters to the point that water is flooding over, you can end up having issues with rot on your roof. This is one of the main reasons that it’s important to keep your gutters clean.
  2. Keep pests out – Clogged up gutters can be appealing to a number of critters as a nesting site. From birds to mosquitoes, a bed of damp leaves can be alluring.
  3. Flower beds – If your gutters become clogged to the point that water is spilling over the side and into your garden beds, you can damage your plants’ health by essentially drowning them. Over watering can be as harmful as not watering enough.
  4. Foundation damage – If water overflows and pools along your home’s foundation, it can end up freezing, which can cause it to expand and generate cracks in your foundation.

Gutters work by shuttling water away from you home. Many gutter systems connect to municipal water drains that move water in an organized system. If not, French drains are helpful for directing roof runoff away from your foundation. The foundation of your home is a water barrier. However, if water pools and spills over the top of your foundation it can seep into your basement or first level floors. The risk is not only water damage to the homes foundation but also mold and mildew. To put this into perspective, consider that mold abatement is expensive. In Wisconsin, those costs range from $1,100-3,200 and can run over $5,000. Water damage is also expensive. On average it costs about $12 per square foot of damage. So a 10′ by 10′ wall area with water damage can cost around $1,200 for repairs. Those costs add up quickly. They also help to illustrate why keeping gutters clean is an important fall chore.

Contact us today and let our team help you find that handyman to help you out today! Your time is important so spend it doing more of the things you love.