If you live in Michigan, you know our tropical storms can be severe. In the middle of torrential rains, violent winds, and damaging debris flying through the air, your first thought may not be your home’s gutter system. But when the storm clears, checking those gutter systems can be crucial to avoiding costly and inconvenient problems.
Read below to find out why regular gutter inspections are important, especially after a severe Michigan storm, and why choosing a professional might be the safest choice. If you are determined to perform the gutter inspection yourself, use the step-by-step guide provided to ensure that your home is protected from potential damage and safe to live in.
Home Inspections and Why They’re Important
Home inspections are most commonly associated with the sale of a home. During this process, the home is evaluated for the integrity of the structure, the heating and cooling systems, plumbing, and electrical work. The inspection also includes the roof, foundation, and exterior of the home. For this article, our focus is the gutter system, which if not functioning properly can affect all of the above. Below is a list of the many reasons why gutter inspections are important to the safety and preservation of your home.
Flood Prevention: Clogged or broken gutters can lead to water spilling over the gutter, and running down the side of the house. This water can collect in the basement, crawl space, or under a slab if present.
Prevent Water Damage: Besides the obvious damage that flooding can cause, water damage can also affect your home’s siding (or any other exterior material), flooring, and window frames.
Prevent Foundational Issues: Flooding due to clogged or damaged gutters can cause significant foundational issues like shifting, sinking, or cracking of the foundation.
Prevent Roof Damage: Improper functioning of the gutter system can also be responsible for roof damage. Pooling of water can increase the deterioration of shingles causing a chain reaction. If the shingles and the gutters are not addressed it can lead to additional damage such as damage to the roof deck, soaking the insulation, and ultimately allowing water to run into the home, damaging the ceiling and the walls.
Prevent Growth: Mold, mildew, and algae love moist environments. Due to the humid climate of Michigan, our homes are at risk for this. Allowing the growth of any of these can be damaging to your home and your health.
Pest Prevention: Pests often utilize clogged gutter systems for breeding, feeding, and protection. Mosquitos use the collection of water for breeding grounds and other pests like rodents use it as a water source. If allowed to go unchecked, these pests can infiltrate the home.
Why a Professional?
With DIY becoming more mainstream you may ask yourself what the benefit of hiring a professional inspector is. There are many good reasons to hire a professional company to inspect and also maintain or fix your gutters, let’s take a look:
Safety: Working on your gutters can be dangerous. Falls, wobbly ladders, sharp objects, and debris are several of the many risk factors when working on gutters. Professionals have special equipment and training that help to lower these risks.
Damage Prevention: Trained professionals are less likely to cause unintended damage during the maintenance of gutters.
Thorough Cleaning: Professional gutter companies have the proper tools and expertise to make sure your gutter system is thoroughly cleaned. For example, you may have the ability to remove all the debris you can visually see in the gutter system, but that does not mean the downspouts aren’t clogged as well. Professionals will typically have the tools needed to make sure your downspouts are clear of all debris, which can be a difficult thing to accomplish without the right tools.
Additional Repairs or Services: Hiring a professional can ensure that any other problems are detected during inspection and maintenance, providing any additional services your gutters might need, such as a repair instead of just a cleaning. Professionals usually have a special eye and can see and detect certain issues that you as a regular homeowner who may not have much experience in the gutter industry may not see. Catching these smaller issues, before they turn into big problems will save you a ton of time and money in the future.
Inspecting Gutters Made Easy
So you’ve decided to inspect your own gutters. It’s important to remember to inspect your gutters after every storm. Due to the strong storms, torrential rains, and abundant foliage, clogged gutters are a common problem in Michigan. Besides just after storms, gutters should be inspected and maintained a couple of times a year. Use the guide below to help you do the most thorough inspection possible, clearing clogs, checking for damage, and preventing future damage to your home.
1. Make a list before you get started. This will help you not forget any important steps.
2. Acquire the proper equipment. Ladders, gloves, a garden hose, and a gutter scoop are all tools you will need to start.
3. Check the perimeter of your home from the ground up. Starting here you can follow any signs of erosion or water damage up the house to the source of the problem.
4. Remove any debris from the gutter system that you can see.
5. Check for additional clogs inside the downspout.
6. Check for leaks by flushing the gutter system with a garden hose.
7. Check for standing water after the flush. If there are no clogs and the gutters are not draining properly standing water will be observed.
8. Look for sloping or sagging areas in the gutter system that inhibit proper water flow. Also, if you have a traditional gutter system with seams, check the seams for leaks. Make sure all the seams are intact and not separating (the garden hose test will also help expose leaks in these areas).
9. Make sure the gutters are securely attached to the structure.
10. Look for signs of rusting and dents.
Clean Up Your Gutters, Protect Your Home
Having regular gutter inspections by a professional or by yourself is vital for maintaining the safety and integrity of your home. Living in a place like Michigan, where storms can wreak havoc on your property, makes keeping your gutter systems functioning properly all the more important. Keeping your gutters clean and functional is crucial in preventing water damage, pest infestations, and structural issues. If you’re looking for expert assistance, consider reaching out to professional gutter contractors in Ludington, such as our team here at One Way Exteriors, for a thorough and professional inspection.
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