[Guttahs Baharris]

#161439

In my line of work, I see the expensive results of small problems that were ignored for too long. And let me tell you, the number one “small problem” that turns into a five-figure disaster is a clogged gutter. Homeowners often don’t “look up” until it’s too late. A professional crew, like the ones at B. A. Harris Seamless Gutter, isn’t just “scooping leaves.” We are performing a seasonal damage assessment. Here’s an insider’s look at what is really happening to your home when you let your gutters clog.

In the fall, it’s all about the weight. You see leaves. I see a heavy, saturated sponge that’s full of water. This “sponge” can weigh 10-15 pounds per foot. Your gutters are not designed to hold a few hundred pounds of wet sludge. This is when we see the hangers start to fail. The gutter pulls away from the fascia board, creating a gap. Now, water isn’t just spilling over the front; it’s running behind the gutter, rotting the fascia and soffit, which is a complicated and expensive repair.

Then comes winter. This is when we see the most violent damage. That wet, fall sludge freezes solid. It’s an ice dam. The real problem isn’t the ice in the gutter; it’s the ice that forms behind it. As meltwater runs down, hits the dam, and refreezes, it expands. It pushes shingles up. It creates a pathway for water to get into the attic. I have personally stood in an attic and seen water pouring in, all because of an ice dam that started as a handful of leaves.

Spring is when we get the calls about foundations. The winter clog is now a compacted brick of debris. It’s not going anywhere. Every spring rain is now a flood against your house. This creates what we call “hydrostatic pressure.” The ground around your foundation becomes a soupy, heavy mess, and the water pressure literally pushes its way through the concrete. This is where you get basement leaks, mold, and even bowed walls.

And in the summer, we get the pest calls. That gutter muck is a “pest highway.” We’ll find carpenter ant nests, termites, and wasps. They are using the gutter as a protected, moist bridge to get from the outside right into the structural wood of your home. A simple job like gutter cleaning framingham or any other town, is the number one way to prevent this.

As a professional, I can tell you this: cleaning your gutters is the cheapest insurance you can buy for your home. These are not “potential” dangers; they are the inevitable results of neglect.

Don’t wait for the damage. Get your system checked by a professional. You can learn more from B. A. Harris Seamless Gutter

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