Your roof system is designed to do one thing, protect your home from the elements, especially water. As an integral part of your roofing system, your gutters help facilitate this by taking the water that is routed away from sensitive areas and directing it somewhere else, where it won’t do any damage. When this flow is interrupted, the damage can be extensive, even catastrophic.
If your gutters aren’t routing water the way they should be, they should be inspected and either cleaned or replaced asap to prevent unnecessary damage. Left untreated, poorly or non-functioning gutters can really do a number on your home, in the form of:
Seepage & Leaks
When water is trapped in your gutters or other areas of your roof, or spilling out in areas it shouldn’t be, it can pool and leak though gaps in the exterior of your home. Once in your home water can go anywhere and it often does, damaging everything along the way.
This can affect everything from the top down depending on how long it’s allowed to continue. By the time you notice a sign, like a stain on the ceiling or other sign inside your home, a lot of damage has already been done. If you begin noticing signs of leaks and/or seepage you need to find the cause ASAP! The longer it’s allowed to exist the worse it will be. Call a professional to do the job right and quickly.
Structural Damage
Caused by the previously mentioned seepage and leaks, water that is stuck in your gutters (or falling out in random areas) can damage much more than just your roof. As water is allowed to sit for days, weeks, or even months in places it doesn’t belong, the structure itself can become weakened.
Weakened decking, soffit and fascia (the foundations of your roof) can turn into disaster as weight they once held without a problem is now straining, risking bending, breaking or even collapse due to weakening! The same goes for the foundation of your house that can shift and become weakened by water pooling in the wrong areas (such as falling out the sides of broken or clogged gutters). If you suspect you have structural damage, you’ll need an inspection by a professional asap to prevent disaster.
Mold & Mildew
Outside of the physical damage to your home, standing water also has the affect of causing things like mold and mildew to grow. Once this process has started, if left untreated, it will continue to grow and spread. Getting into even the smallest holes and gaps it comes across, this can spread deep into your house, until you find yourself fighting mold in the walls and ceilings. This poses a health risk to you and everyone in your home and is very costly to fix. When it comes to mold and mildew, prevention is key and it starts with your roof and gutters.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and keeping your roof and gutters regularly maintained and inspected at least once a year by a professional is the best you can do to avoid these situations.
If you notice any signs that your roof and gutter system is not performing as expected, call in a professional right away! When it comes to mitigating water damage, speed if of the essence! Don’t wait for disaster, help is just a call or click away.
In Metro Atlanta, Atlanta Roofing Specialists has been installing residential and commercial roofing and gutter systems since 1993. Call (770) 419-2222 for your estimate today!
