Clogged gutters can indeed cause water in the basement. This is one of the most common ways to have your basement flooded. To understand how it floods your basement, it is important to understand the basic functionality of the gutter and what it is meant to do. Gutters are meant to channel the water away from the property to avoid the buildup of moisture at the base of the foundation of a building. When the gutters overflow, this water can easily get to the foundation and cause foundational cracks that can work their way up several feet above the ground. Cracks can start to form along the wall.
Gutters also prevent the backsplash of water from hitting the exterior of the building which can leave splash marks. It can cause a building such as a house to look aesthetically unpleasant. Another major reason why gutters are important is that it prevents the water from collecting near the house. Once it rains, the soil can get depressed causing an indent forming a puddle of water where insects and other wildlife animals will flock to and eventually start gaining access through the foundational cracks.
The gutter prevents this by siphoning the water away from the roof when onto the drip edge. The water gets channeled through the gutter into the downspout away from the base of the property. In areas where it rains a lot, a downspout may not be very effective. For this, in addition to a downspout, people need to have a downspout drain to prevent water buildup in one particular area. If the area also has a declination, the water might not be properly channeled away and will result in stagnated water which will result in attracting wildlife and pests.
Most people are not aware that gutters can get old and may need replacement. When the gutters become old, the gutter hangers and nails may become looser and looser over time creating this significant gap between the drip edge and the gutter itself. Instead of the drip edge depositing water in the gutter, the water will drip right on the walls and on the base of the property resulting in cracks in the wall and cracks at the base of the foundation. The longer this goes on, the worse and larger the cracks become.
Eventually, water starts to infiltrate the basement and starts developing black mold and will result in an actual flooded basement from all the continued deterioration. Not only will water be inside, but it can give pests and wildlife also a chance to take advantage of the gaps and cracks!
The professionals from Gutter Cleaning Toronto can take care of all that through our manual gutter cleaning services! We have been in the business for more than a decade and counting! Our specialists are experts at working at heights and are up for any task. In addition to our high-quality gutter cleaning services, we also offer gutter guard installation, and gutter repairs, so that your gutters are always in shape! Call our dedicated customer support specialists now and find out when you can book your next appointment!