How Do You Know You Have Clogged Guttering

Generally, gutters protect the foundation and siding of your house. In fact, they collect water and carry it to a downspout, effectively discarding it away from your house. It plays an important role in keeping excess water away from the siding and foundation of your house. Surprisingly, it even prevents problems of soil erosion that can lead to shifting or sinking foundations. There are times when it even leads to flooding in basements and crawl spaces.

Even though gutters play a critical role in preventing these issues, they cannot work properly if they are clogged. You can prevent clogging if you know the signs of a clogged gutter.

Signs of Clogged Guttering

• Spillage of Water over the Sides of your Gutter

While there are many other signs, the primary sign is when water spills over the edges and sides of your gutters. For instance, when it rains next time, just step outside for a little while and have a look at the gutters. If you see water spilling over the edges of the gutter, it is probably because your gutters are clogged.

In the gutter system, clogs often prevent water from flowing through the channel. Therefore, when it rains, water is accumulated and it cannot go through the channel. It ultimately spills over the edges.

• Growth of Plants

If you see plants growing or sprouting in your gutter, it is yet another sign of a clogged gutter. You should not really see any kind of growth from your gutter. Typically, plants sprout in the gutter because water is sitting in there with enough dirt. So, if even a single seed is carried in the gutter, it will definitely grow.

It is necessary to quickly remove the growth because the root system is capable of damaging the gutter system because water can be obstructed by the plant.

The growth of plants can block the gutters, making it difficult for the water to follow a clear path. It can lead to a further accumulation of water in the gutter.

• Water is not Coming Down

Most people think that if water does not spill over the edges of the gutter, it means it is unclogged. However, it is merely confusion.

Gutter systems are designed to hold a lot of water and in some cases, it is possible for even clogged gutters to not spill water over the edges. There may be insufficient water to flow over the edges.

When it rains the next time, just step outside and have a look at your gutters. Is the water even coming out of the downspout? In case there is little to no water coming out of it, you may have clogged gutters.

• Sagging of Gutters

Typically, when gutters remain clogged for a long time, they become full of water and debris that begins to damage the gutters. Now, before the seams of your gutter begin to separate or split, you will notice they begin to sag from excess debris and water.

It clearly indicates full gutters and they need to be cleaned properly. Thus, if you do not clean them quickly, it is likely that the gutters may split at the seams. Then, you will have to install the gutters again and it can be a little costly.

So, just step out and notice if the gutters are sagging or not. In case they are sagging, it means they are only a step away from splitting at the seams. Make sure to quickly repair them before you need to install entirely new gutters.

• Pests around the Gutters

While not many people know but another sign is the appearance of pests around your gutter. It is possible you might find pests hanging out on the edges or in the gutter.

Actually, the type of pests might range from small insects to squirrels and birds. Clogged gutters are definitely attractive for a few reasons to pests. For instance, they have water in the gutters, and pests can drink it or bathe in it. Moreover, since gutters have dirt and debris in them, insects and pests can use them to make a nest and live there permanently.

You may have clogged gutters if you notice pests around or in the gutters. It will also imply that you quickly need to address clogging and repair the gutter.

Overall, these are some signs of clogged gutters. If you notice them along with stain marks on the siding of your gutters, it means your gutters are clogged and you need to unclog them.