You may not think about them very much, but gutters are essential for diverting the flow of rainwater away from your home’s foundation. They’re especially important in areas with high rainfall. But what happens if you don’t clean your gutters? A lot of things, actually, and none of them are good. To learn why clean gutters are so important, here are six problems that can emerge when they’re dirty.

Gutter Damage

What happens if you don’t clean your gutters should be obvious: leaves, twigs, and other forms of debris will build up over time. However, beyond just appearing unkempt, this accumulation can potentially damage your gutter system. The increased weight of all the leaves may be too much for your gutters to withstand, causing them to break off and damage the fascia in the process.

In addition to preventing unwanted gutter damage, there are many long-term reasons why homeowners should clean gutters. Built-up debris can cause your gutters to experience rust and corrosion, ultimately reducing their lifespan. By keeping gutters cleaned regularly, you can help increase their longevity.

Ice Dams

Accumulated debris isn’t the only extra weight that can strain a gutter system. Ice damming can also cause some serious problems. Ice dams occur when the snow on your roof melts, flows into the gutters, and then freezes again because of the lower temperatures. Not only will it create icicles, but it can also impair your gutters’ drainage system. When combined with built-up debris, ice dams can worsen water drainage even more.

Extensive Water Damage

As you well know, blocked gutters don’t properly drain rainwater. This clogging can result in water overflow that will negatively affect any home. For example, with nowhere to flow, the water will start seeping into your roofing. It won’t just ruin the shingles but can leak into the attic and cause extensive water damage. 

Water overflowing because of a clogged gutter can also make its way into your siding, stain the walls of your home, and create mold. Your basement isn’t safe either, as rainwater can seep into your basement and flood it depending on the direction of your landscaping slopes. With so many potential water problems that can arise, it’s easy to see why clean gutters are so important.

Foundation and Structural Damage

Clogged gutters can also play a role in causing serious foundation damage to your home. Normally, gutters will help divert rainwater and melted snow away from a home’s foundation. However, when the gutters become too obstructed, water will drain directly below the drainage area. When the temperature drops below freezing during the winter, the water will expand and contract, causing damage. This erosion and leaking contributes to foundation problems over time, including wall cracks, uneven floors, and much more.

Pests

What happens if you don’t clean out gutters? Pests move in. Insects love the decomposing plant debris that builds up in gutters, which is the perfect breeding ground for them. Their presence can eventually lead to infestations and health problems, so if you don’t want pests to be attracted to your home, make sure to get your gutters cleaned.

Costly Repairs

Most of the damages discussed regarding what happens when you don’t clean your gutters have one trait in common: they’re incredibly expensive to repair. So why wait for there to be a problem when you can prevent them? By ensuring your gutters are cleaned thoroughly, you can avoid any damages and, in turn, the costs that come along with them.

If you want to avoid all the issues caused by clogged and dirty gutters, then you should have a professional perform a gutter cleanout. Anyone searching for professional gutter cleaning in DC and the surrounding areas can reach out to EcoTek Power Washing today. We offer numerous home services, including holiday lighting installation for the upcoming season. Contact EcoTek today and learn how we can help keep your home clean and looking great!

When people imagine holiday season traditions, thoughts of family gatherings, festivities, and celebrations enter their minds. However, many would agree that decorative lighting is among one of the most familiar and well-known traditions out there. Despite this, many don’t have the experience, time, or energy to hang up the lights when the season rolls around — which is why it’s a good idea to hire someone to hang Christmas lights. To learn more, here are four of the major benefits of having a Christmas light professional handle the installation.

Hiring a Professional Is Much Safer

Unfortunately, a large number of people wind up in the emergency room throughout the holiday season — many of which suffer from falls. In fact, ladder accidents are among the leading causes of home injuries. However, homeowners won’t put themselves at risk when they hire someone to hang Christmas lights. Safety is one of the top reasons why it’s a good idea to ask a professional for help with holiday lighting. They have both the necessary equipment and the experience to stay safe while on the job.

Additionally, hiring a Christmas light professional won’t just be safe for you but for your home as well. From improperly removing staples to blowing fuses, there are plenty of ways light installations can damage a property. Thankfully, professionals will know how to avoid these potential issues and help keep a home safe while adding decorative illumination.

It Will Take Less Time

Hanging up holiday lights can take forever on your own and span multiple days. Nobody wants to spend their holiday season fiddling with cords, which is why it’s best to hire someone to hang Christmas lights — a professional installer can have them up in only a few hours. Trained and certified holiday light installers are perfect for those who want to get their seasonal decorations ready in a short amount of time. By using proven installation methods and their own firsthand experience, they know how to get lights up quickly and efficiently.

There’s Less Work for You

There’s a lot that homeowners need to prepare for during the holiday season, whether it’s shopping for presents, planning parties, baking, and other activities. So why spend time installing lights when a professional can lighten the load? They’ll take care of all the important installation tasks so you can devote time to holiday preparations.

The convenience of a Christmas light professional doesn’t end after they’re done with the installation. Once the holiday season has ended, they can help you take down and pack up the lights. In turn, you won’t have to worry about carefully removing every cord or breaking any bulbs by mistake.

You Can Have Custom, Professional Designs

When you hire someone to hang Christmas lights, they can lend a hand with more than just the installation. If you’re unsure how to decorate your property for the holidays, a professional designer can help you create a light arrangement that will bring your home to life during the season. Their custom-fit lighting designs can incorporate your roof, windows, branches, and tree trunks, among other features. With the guidance of a lighting pro, your entire home can undergo a festive transformation.

If you ever need professional holiday light installation, you can always count on the team at EcoTek for the job. In addition, we offer a wide range of other services, including gutter cleaning in Hartford County, MD, and the surrounding areas. To learn more about our holiday decorating and other services and schedule your appointment, give us a call today.