Over time, your eavestroughs can become filled with all sorts of debris. Just think about it: all the leaves from trees, debris blowing in the wind, and items making their way onto the roof and trickling down can all make their way into the eavestroughs of your home. 

That’s why it’s so important to take the time to have your eavestroughs cleaned out from time to time. While these components may be overlooked many times by homeowners, they play a crucial role in the integrity of your home and should be properly cared for, and that includes cleaning them out from time to time. 

So, what exactly can happen if your eavestroughs get clogged and are rarely cleaned out?

Damage to the Roof

Your eavestroughs are tasked with collecting rainfall and snow and directing it away from your home. If they’re clogged, they won’t be able to do the job they were designed to do. 

And although the eavestrough system wasn’t necessarily designed to protect just the roof, this important structure can get damaged as a result of clogged eavestroughs. When this happens, water can get backed up and make its way back up onto the roof. If that water is left to sit there for an extended period of time, it can cause the roof to rot.

The result? Leaks in your home, which is never a good thing. If the problem persists, the roof may have to be replaced completely. As you might be aware, replacing a roof is an expensive endeavour, so it should be avoided at all costs. While the roof may need to get replaced eventually as a result of age, there’s no need to rush the process, and keeping your eavestroughs free and clear of debris can be one way to do that. 

Damage to the Foundation

As if damage to the roof wasn’t enough, a clogged eavestrough that does not properly drain water away from your home can also cause extensive damage to your foundation. This is a seriously costly issue that can cost you ten of thousands of dollars to fix and can comprise the structure and strength of your home. 

Eavestrough and downspouts are meant to direct water away from your home far enough so that it isn’t given the chance to sit at the edge of your home and pool at the base. If the water does this, it can damage your home’s foundation. This component of your home is one of the most important, as extensive damage can put the entire home at risk. 

Clogged eavestroughs can allow the water to overflow and pool up around your home’s foundation and even saturate the ground surrounding it. This can lead to cracks in the foundation that could compromise its integrity and lead to basement leaks. The foundation may even sink or shift.

Rotting Wood

There are various wood components to home construction, and these components are vulnerable to rotting as a result of exposure to excess moisture and water. For instance, water that is allowed to pool can rot the fascia board which runs along the edge of the roof. This can put your door and window frames at risk for damage.

Not only can the wood fascia rot, but the water can also cause the eavestroughs to pull away from the structure of your home as a result of the added weight of the water since this system is typically attached to the fascia.

If the damage is extensive, this could result in a very costly situation for you if all the wood must be replaced. Even the door and wood frames may have to be replaced as a result, adding even more to the overall cost of repair.

Attraction of Pests

Water and moisture can attract a number of different types of pests. For instance, a moist environment is attractive for things like mosquitoes and bugs which can be a real nuisance to you and your family. Termites might even be attracted to your home as a result of twigs and leaves in the eavestroughs that can serve as their home.

Pools of water might also draw in birds who will build nests and make their home in and around your home’s structure. This can cause a situation where they may actually find their way into your home through the attic and nest in there. Again, these situations will call for some assistance to eliminate them and the damage they cause, which means more money out of your pocket. 

Do yourself a favour and have your eavestroughs cleaned out to avoid any of these situations. And to make sure the job is done right, call the trusted pros at Tip Top Trough to tackle it for you.