Healthy gutters are essential to the longevity of your roof. Gutters function to protect your siding, foundation, and indoor space from water damage, but inadequacies can severely damage your roofing system. Gutters should be cleaned out in the spring and fall to avoid these problems in the future and expensive repairs.

Water Seepage

Clogged gutters can cause trapped water to seep up your roof. Tiny gaps in the roof can allow water to penetrate into your interiors. Depending on the age of your shingles, you may have more leakage in your roof.

Foundation Damage

The primary function of a gutter system is to focus water from your roof and away from your home’s foundation. Blockages in your gutters can lead to overpouring water from the sides of your gutters. This overflowed water can pool around your foundation causing cracks to form and damage the foundation. A cracked foundation can lead to collapse, but also contribute to mold growth.

Wood Rot

Many of the inner workings of homes are comprised of wood. Sheathing and rafters can become more decayed if water is leaking into the home. Also, the boards that hold the gutter system are often made of wood, so clogged, overflowing gutters can leak water and cause these boards to rot. The same effect will be had on wood siding if water if flowing down the sides of the home.

Ice Dams

​When temperatures reach freezing, ice dams can form on your roof or on your gutters. Typically this will occur in colder climates, but any undrained pools of water can form into ridges of ice when it becomes cooler. When ice dams form, your shingles will be left in a high-moisture state and add extra weight to your roof. Keeping your gutters clean will aide in removing extra moisture from your roof.
 
Joye Roofing wants to provide knowledge to every homeowner about how to maintain their roofs. When the seasons change, small steps can ensure that your roof stands the test of time. Avoid water damage from leaks and contact Joye Roofing today for a roof inspection.

How to Prolong the Life of Your Roof

​Because your roof is the first line of defense in inclement weather and represents a serious investment on the part of any homeowner, keeping it in good shape will extend the life of your roof to prevent costly replacement.
Therefore, it is important for you to be aware of simple repairs and preventative measures which may help to extend the life of your roof.
Even though there are other roof materials such as copper, tile, and metal, the majority of roofs have shingles. According to angieslist.com, the quality of the materials and workmanship when the existing roof was put on is the biggest factor in the lifespan of a roof.