Property owners often overlook the high contribution of gutters to their structure’s protection. Channeling water from your roof, after all, sounds like an easy task. Even so, the task is far from it. Issues with your gutters can become the primary contributors of considerable water damage to your foundations and walls and leave you with losses and repair expenses that will set you back.
Roof gutter protection is an essential element for the prevention of rust, blockage, and leaks that compromise the functioning of gutters. Routine professional maintenance and cleaning, along with the installation of guards, are among the crucial steps for the protection of your gutters. Most people opt for annual cleaning and maintenance. Even so, this will not afford your gutters as much protection since they are exposed to different elements with season changes.
Here are the common gutter threats with seasonal changes.
Fall
In fall, leaves with change color then start dropping as the trees become dormant. These leaves not only make your landscape dirty but will also clog your gutters. There might be no blocked water in your gutters during fall, but the leaves still affect your gutters. This is because their moisture continues accumulating and contributes to the rusting of the gutters. Moreover, the leaves will continue fermenting and discolor your gutters and your exterior property walls.
Summer
The hot temperatures of summer generally mean that the trees around your property have high transpiration levels. This depletes the soil moisture and contributes to dry leaves that ordinarily fall and clog your gutters much like in the fall. The accumulated leaves also pose a threat of wildfires on your gutters in areas prone to the same.
Moreover, when thunderous showers start, the clogged gutters cannot effectively drain the water. This causes overflow over the gutters and down your walls then onto your property’s foundation. Other than this, the water in summer can compromise the seams of sectional gutters and contribute to the rust of metal gutters.
Spring
Some places experience heavy wet snowfalls in spring. This snow might accumulate on the gutters and weaken their seams and joints. The fluctuating freeze-thaw cycles of spring also widen the seams in sectional gutters. The damage is worsened if your gutters are already clogged from the accumulated debris in the fall and winter.
Winter
This causes the highest form of damage to unprepared gutters. In winter snow will ordinarily accumulate on unheated gutters and weigh it down. This often causes an overflow of melted snow over the gutters and the formation of dangerously hanging icicles and destructive ice dams. Preparation of your gutters for winter generally involves the installation of heating devices to melt the snow off it and guards to ensure only melted snow gets into the gutters.
Gutter cleaning cannot be a once-annually venture with the risks that weather changes pose. The ideal frequency of your repair and cleaning routine will nonetheless also depend on the size of your property and the elements around it. Periodic sealant application is also essential for the prevention of rust.
