Regular Eavestrough Cleaning Can Avert Serious Water Damage to Your Home
It is a well-accepted fact that an eavestrough system is designed to collect water from the roof of a home and ultimately redirect that water to a safe distance away from the walls and foundation. For the most part, this system operates in relative obscurity as it goes about its job during and immediately after every rainfall and period of winter thaw.
Unfortunately, the flow of water through an eavestrough and downspout is not constant; in a manner of speaking, the system only fulfills its primary function when it is prompted by rain or thaw. In the interim, the gutters essentially lie dormant, and it is during these quiet periods that the foundation for future problems can be established.
This is especially true from the spring through the fall months, when weather conditions and small animals can conspire to deposit foreign matter/debris such as the following in eavestroughs and/or over the openings to downspouts:
- Dry leaves
- Dry twigs/nests
- Maple tree keys
- Organic matter/waste
- Asphalt shingle granules
All such material will then clog/block the gutter system and subsequently prevent it from functioning properly when it is called upon to perform. Because the water cannot flow as intended, it therefore pools within the eavestrough and either stagnates or, based on its accumulated volume, ultimately pours over the lip/edge. This overflow can be extremely damaging to the home itself as well as its surroundings, and can result in extensive and expensive eavestrough repairs to any/all of the following areas:
- Foundation
- Landscaping
- Soffits/fascia
- Roof/shingles
- Masonry/siding
- Windows/doors
Furthermore, stagnant water in an eavestrough can create several other unwanted and potentially detrimental/dangerous situations such as:
- Mold formation
- Rusting of the gutters
- Breeding ground for mosquitos
- Gutter damage (due to the excess weight)
- Roof damage (from ice dam formation in winter)
Therefore, the importance of regularly cleaning the eavestroughs cannot be understated.
Homeowners are encouraged to perform eavestrough cleaning on a semi-annual basis, customarily in the spring and in the fall, to ensure that the system is free-and-clear of all debris and able to perform at an optimal level when required.
However, eavestrough cleaning usually means that homeowners must work on a ladder or actually walk about the roof of their home. This may not be feasible for many people either due to safety concerns, physical limitations, and/or the lack of time or inclination. In such instances, homeowners may wish to call upon the eavestrough cleaning services of a professional roofing contractor such as Avenue Road Roofing in Toronto.
Good Eavestrough Maintenance Includes More Than Just Semi-Annual Cleaning
In addition to keeping their eavestroughs clean/clear of debris on at least a semi-annual basis, homeowners should conduct simultaneous inspections of the entire gutter system to ensure that all aspects are in proper working order. These inspections should check for the following:
- Blocked downspout openings
- Rusting or pinholes in the metal
- Leaks in the seams and corners
- Deterioration of the soffits/fascia
- Incorrect downward drainage angles
- Misaligned downspout/gutter junctions
- Loose or detached eavestrough sections
Should any actual or looming issues be identified during these inspections, the necessary or preventative repair work can be performed in time-sensitive fashion, thereby avoiding more extensive and potentially costly damage to the eavestrough system or to the home itself. Once again, homeowners may be well served by utilizing the expertise of Avenue Road Roofing to conduct these inspections and complete any requisite repairs to either the eavestrough or to the building envelope.
To protect your home from water damage and prevent unnecessary repair costs, proper eavestrough maintenance is a must. To ensure that your eavestroughs are in optimal working condition for the coming winter, call the experts at Avenue Road Roofing today at 416-785-5129 to schedule an eavestrough cleaning and inspection as soon as possible.
