10 Hazardous Effects of Water Damage to Your House

A lot of Fort Myers residents don’t know how important the gutters are to a home, but they are an essential part of the home’s structure. They help with keeping the water flowing during rain and snow and they help to divert the water away from the house. When this isn’t done, the results can be costly and disastrous to say the least. Below are 10 of the problems that a home might experience when the homeowner doesn’t properly maintain their gutters.

Basement Flooding

Water in the basement of your home can damage your floors and walls, destroy the carpeting, ruin the furniture, and result in mold. This flooding can also destroy items that are being stored in the basement, such as antiques, family heirlooms, and photo albums. Anything that is in the basement is often ruined beyond repair.

Foundation Settlement and Cracking

When your foundation is cracking, this can signify a really serious problem with your home. As time passes, they often can result in a total failure of the foundation. If it goes on too long and the water damage is too great, you may find that your home is at high risk.

Soil Erosion

One of the common and scariest problems with water damage is that soil often will erode. This erosion can make your home to become unstable and slope and it also can lead to a sink hole if it isn’t taken care of in a timely manner.

Wood Rot

Wood rot is a problem that is often associated with water damage. This type of fungus quickly grows, destroying the wood’s strength. The wood may come apart, splinter, or powder. This rot often is going to spread until the wood or moisture is gone or the temperature changes.

Paint Damage

Although this seems like it can be a strictly cosmetic problem, when the paint is damaged it can damage the material beneath it, causing more problems for the homeowner.

Window and Door Damage

Damage to the windows can allow the water to come into the house to cause damage to the interior of the home. Damage to the doors can also allow water into the home.

Siding Damage

Your home’s siding protects your home from damage. When the siding has been damaged, it can leave bare spots and then the water can cause damage to the material beneath the siding.

Mold Damage

When there is water damage, unfortunately there is often damage from mold. This can cause a lot of problems in a house and it also can cause problems with a family’s health.

Roof Damage

One of the most serious problems that water damage from a gutter can cause is damage to the roof. This can lead to a roof leaking or even caving in.

Damage from Insects and Rodents

When there is water damage, a lot of times there will also be unwelcome visitors from small insects to rodents. If you have water damage from your gutters, you may have more than just your family and pets in your home.

Conclusion

Remember to care for your home and your gutters to help avoid these problems. If you are keeping an eye on the gutters and you’re properly cleaning them out, you will have a better chance of avoiding the problems altogether. Just an hour or so worth of work can help you with a lot of regret and heartache because something precious was ruined or because you have a home that’s sinking into the ground.

Care for your gutters and downspouts and you’ll find that they are taking good care of you, your family, and your home.

About Gulf Coast Exteriors

GCE Gutters is a residential and commercial gutter service committed to providing professional quality service at a competitively low prices in Fort Myers and Cape Coral Florida. Let GCE Gutters show you how we are becoming the area’s finest gutter cleaning, repair and installation company in Lee County.