Gutter cleaning is more important than most people think! Gutters are your home’s drainage system, and it channels roof runoff. Without them the roof runoff would fall on people as they enter the house, erode the dirt near the foundation, trickle down to permeate the exterior walls, cause premature paint coating failure, and turns to ice in colder weather creating potential hazards to your entry areas. At One Stop Painting we offer gutter cleaning, and we also can make recommendations if you/we feel the current gutter system being used is not adequate to safely channel the water away from the home. We can also repair your existing gutter system if damaged; we can even install completely new gutter systems on an entire home if necessary.

FIRST AND FOREMOST: Moisture is the root cause of a home’s most destructive and persistent problems. These include mold, pests, wood decay, and paint coating failure. WE RECOMMEND AT LEAST TWO ANNUAL GUTTER CLEANINGS. Once gutters become clogged and ineffective, they will potentially increase the chance of the following problems: 

• Ice Dams

Ice dams occur when your gutters backup in the winter, forcing the water underneath the roof shingles and directly into your home. This can happen slowly; you may not even notice it until you have major interior attic damage, internal wall damage, or mold and mildew concerns. Water can begin dripping or running from ceilings, causing rapid exposure to the plaster, ceilings, walls, hardwood flooring, kitchen cabinetry, flooring, etc. Additional concerns are the homes electrical sources: ceiling fixtures, possibly even expensive furniture and/or artwork.

• Damage to Interior & Exterior

 Clogged gutters can damage your home’s exterior in a few ways. Excess water can seep into the soffit, fascia, or wooden framing and cause premature wood rot. Water may also flow back up onto the roof and under the shingles, penetrating the layers below and seeping into the home through the ceilings and walls (if this occurs in the winter, it can create ice dams). Water stains, damaged sheetrock, wall paper, wood work, and flooring are also all possible.

• Termites, Mosquitoes & Other Pests

Termites need water to thrive, so gutters that deposit excess water near the house can lure in insects and encourage termite infestation. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in stagnant water and are therefore attracted to the pools that collect in clogged gutters. In fact, the water in clogged gutters can also invite and sustain a variety of other pests that would like to nest in your attic, including birds, squirrels, and mice. 

• Compromised Driveways, Patios, and Walkways

Increased amounts of water coming from the lack of gutters can cause water to flow into the ground surrounding your home. It can erode the dirt directly beneath driveways, patios, and walkways. As the dirt is washes away the structure, whether it’s made of concrete, asphalt, or paver stones is no longer fully supported. It can settle, crack, or even collapse.

• Basement Water/Increased Moisture Damage

Clogged gutters can dump gallons of water directly onto the ground next to the foundation of a house. The excessive water will often leak through the foundation wall and then create water problems in the basement, damaging contents and creating situations that can be especially dangerous depending on where your electrical junction box is located. Over time, this type of damage can compromise the structural soundness of the house and cause mold or mildew to flourish.

• Cracking or Failing Foundations

Loose fill dirt underneath a home’s foundation settles over time. When one section settles more quickly than another section, the added stress put on the foundation causes cracks. Excess water dumped next to the foundation by faulty gutters will exacerbate this issue by shifting the position and density of the soil. Once the foundation starts to settle and crack it can travel throughout your entire home, causing various stress cracks and separation throughout the home or building.

• Plant Growth

If you do not check and clean your gutters periodically (in addition to becoming clogged) plant life will develop in your gutters. This will cause rapid clogging due to the root structure. Also, acorns turn into oak trees, and they can grow rapidly. Gutters are not designed to support small trees.

At One Stop Painting, we understand the importance of keeping your gutters clean, and that is why we offer it as one of our many services. We have a large list of gutter cleaning customers throughout the area whose gutters we clean yearly, and we’d be more than happy to add you to that list! Our customers rely on us to not only clean their gutters, but to evaluate any other potential concerns as well.