Summer is the best opportunity for roof maintenance, especially when you have so few months without rain, snow, or freezing temperatures. However, a roof doesn’t just include the structure that covers the top of your home—it includes your gutters too. It’s important to keep your gutters clean of debris, but what makes a clogged or dirty gutter dangerous? There’s a long list of reasons why cleaning your gutters is so important, especially in a cold climate —but these reasons are the main problems.
Clogged Gutters Lead To Leaks
Your home’s gutters can usually handle the normal downpour of a rainy day, but with a major clog, how much they drain and how fast they drain can drastically change. Severe drainage clogs can lead to water making its way into the structure of your home through cracks and weak spots in the roof. If the water sits for too long, it can become standing water and contain harmful bacteria, adding to the danger.
Once the water makes its way through the crease of your house—or even through imperfections in your roof—the water damage becomes a real threat to your health. It can cause toxic mold to grow between the roof and your ceilings, and the water itself will damage your belongings. Not only will you need a roof repair afterward, but you’ll also need a team to repair the ceiling and remove the mold.
Snow and Ice Danger: Ice Dams
When snow melts and refreezes without having anywhere to go, blockages can form in your gutters. This solid ice creeps under your shingles and weighs your gutters down, resulting in severe roof and gutter damage. Hacking at an ice dam yourself can be dangerous; hire a professional to steam the ice dams away and invest in ice dam prevention for the future.
Pests
No matter what kind of debris clogs your gutter, it will attract pests. Standing water can attract bugs and parasites, while leaves and sticks can attract nesting birds and rodents. While the pests may begin in your gutters, they’ll slowly move their way inside your home and cause trouble there—especially in areas such as your attic.
Whether you need your gutters cleaned or repaired, the warmer months are the time to do it; it’s better to have it done in the summer before the rainy months hit in August. At Cook Inlet Property Management, we understand the reasons why cleaning your gutters is so important and will provide you with the property maintenance services you need for clean gutters that won’t damage your home. With our professional customer service expertise, you’ll have a functional roof again in no time.
