Any Fort Collins roofing company leader will tell you that gutters and downspouts are essential components of any roofing system. They contribute to the overall health of the roof just as much as the roof covering or other, larger or more conspicuous elements. Here is how gutter faults affect overall roof health:
- Clogged gutters – essentially, gutters are open channels, half tubes that tend to collect airborne and falling debris. Leaves, twigs, dust, animal feathers and small nests are the most common causes for gutter clogging – when they settle inside the pipes, they absorb moisture and form an obstacle in front of the water pouring down on the sides of the roof. When pouring rainwater and melted snow is not channeled into the ground because of the clogs in the gutter, the water pours down on the walls and finds its way into the foundation of the building, causing serious structural damage;
- Failing gutter hardware – when the hardware that is holding the gutters in place gets damaged, the gutter pipes become loose and sagging, exposing the lower areas of the roof to wind and storms;
- Gutter leaks – cracked or punctured leaks cannot properly channel the water, letting it through and leading to issues very similar to the problems caused by gutter clogging.