What Your Rain Gutters Can Do for Your Foundation

Rain gutters do a lot more than make your home look nice. They also play a large role in protecting your foundation. If you are looking for an easy way to renovate the exterior of your home, regularly cleaning and replacing your rain gutters when necessary is a cheap but worthwhile investment. Here are some of the various ways that rain gutters protect the foundation of your home.

Stabilizes the Soil around Your House

When rain gutters do not work properly, it can lead to erosion. Erosion is a huge problem in homes that have damaged rain gutters. The reason for this is that water runoff eats away at the soil. Once the soil has been eroded away from the foundation, it leaves it exposed. This can cause several different problems, one of them being structural damage. Once the foundation of your home has been damaged it is both difficult and costly to fix. For this reason, be sure that the gutters of your home are preventing erosion of the soil around your home. If you notice that you can see the area where dirt has previously been around your home then eroding soil may be to blame. This exposed foundation is then susceptible to cracking or other damage.

Mold and Mildew

When rain gutters are not efficiently moving water away from the home, it leaves your house susceptible to mold and mildew growth. Mold and mildew will grow in the crevices where water has touched but not been able to dry, including basements and crawlspaces. If you have noticed mold or mildew growth in your home, then seeping water may be to blame. This is often caused by gutters that are not efficiently removing water from the area around the home.

Infestations

Standing water from a rainstorm is a breeding ground for insects such as mosquitoes. Not only are these insects annoying, they can get into your home more easily if they are breeding nearby. This leaves your home open to the damage that can be caused by insects, which may eat away at your roof or foundation.

Flooding

When your rain gutters are not functioning properly, they also leave your home open to the dangers of flooding. Flooding can occur in your basement or even inside the rooms of your home if you are not careful. If you have noticed dampness in your basement, then it may be time to clean or replace your gutters. Nobody wants to deal with the damage after a flood.

Staining

When rain gutters prevent removal of the foundation, they also prevent the layer of your home that has been stained by years of being underground from being exposed. Rain gutters also prevent staining of other areas. This includes exterior staining caused by high water levels and can include the paint or siding of your home, any framing that you may have, decks, driveways, patios, and more.

Tips for Regular Maintenance

Most professionals recommend that gutters be cleaned twice annually. As gutters are cleaned, they should be inspected for any signs of damage. One sign that may be apparent is gutters that pull away from the house. This often indicates a need to change the spikes that secure the placement of the gutters. Another sign is cracked or leaking gutters. If you have a section of rain gutter that is not working properly, it is best to replace it. You should also be aware of disconnected joints, rust, or dents. If you are not able to take care of these gutters yourself, you can generally turn towards a professional gutter maintenance company. Websites like thegutterexperts.com are good places to get started on this.

Lautaro Martinez is a freelance writer who specializes on home improvement topics and seeks to make sure that his audience is well informed on everything needed to maintain one's house. If you wish to learn more about Lautaro you can visit his profile on Google+.