For many home owners, nothing really beats a had repair project. Many home repairs can be costly. Repairs are time consuming and messy work. Yet, repairs are part of being homeowners because no matter how well-maintained your home is, there will come a time where repairs are needed. A part of your home that you shouldn’t ignore is the gutter system. A good gutter system will prevent many home repairs because it will protect your home from many outside factors.
To maintain your gutters, you need to be familiar with the season. For instance, when snow lands on the roof, it will accumulate. Snow accumulates on the roof and will act as a huge reservoir of water. Snow will also accumulate inside the gutters. When the weather changes again and gets above freezing temperature, the snow will be converted to ice and water. The water will find a route of exit and if your gutter systems are blocked, water will overflow through it.
For the homeowner, nearly nothing is as bad of a problem as is undertaking a foundation repair project. Foundation repair is costly. It is time consuming and it is messy work. More often than not, foundation repairs could have been mitigated if proper gutter maintenance was used. This is especially true during the winter months. Here is why it is important to maintain your gutters in winter. If the water overflows onto the ground, the ground will be saturated with water. The added water near the foundation will weaken the structure of your house resulting in foundation damage.
At the first sign of water seepage in your foundation, you need to diagnose it immediately. It will come as a form of moisture in the basement and can be accompanied by the smell of mold. If you fail to remedy the problem as soon as it’s become obvious, it will immediately get worse. As the freeze and thaw cycle of winter and summer continues, cracks will begin to appear and this will damage the entirety of your foundation. When the cracks become larger, structure failure may become inevitable.
All of these things could have been prevented if you have the right gutter system. Proper maintenance will also prevent this kind of problem from ever happening. To help you maintain your gutters during the winter, here are some tips.
To ensure that water saturation won’t happen near your home, you need to put the downspouts drain at least 10 feet away from your house. If the water is channeled away at a safe distance, there is a slim chance of liquid infiltration caused by overflowing water.
Only use quality materials. Do not make the mistake of being a cheapskate when you are choosing a material for your gutter system. Remember that the integrity of your house relies on a function gutter system. In my own experience, cheap products will also give you headache in the future.
For more information about gutter system, read the other articles on this site.
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