Don’t Forget About the Gutters! 🏡💧

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Your home’s gutters might not be the most exciting feature of your property, but they play a crucial role in protecting your home from costly damage. When neglected, clogged gutters can cause more problems than you might expect—problems that impact not only your roof, but also your basement, landscaping, and more.

Here are 4 important reasons to keep your gutters clear and well-maintained:

1. Clogged Gutters

When leaves, sticks, and other debris build up in your gutters, they block the natural flow of water. Instead of being directed away from your home, rainwater has nowhere to go. Over time, clogged gutters can start growing plants, developing mold, or even breaking away from the house under the weight.

2. Roof Damage

Left unchecked, clogged gutters can spread trouble to other areas of your home. Excess moisture makes your roof and siding vulnerable to rot and mold growth. Eventually, this can even invite unwanted pests like rodents and insects into spaces like your attic.

3. Basement Flooding

Your gutters are designed to keep water away from your foundation. If they’re not working properly, rainwater drips directly down alongside your house, leading to oversaturated soil. The result? That water often finds a new home—your basement floor.

4. Landscape Maintenance

Neglected gutters don’t just harm your home—they also impact your yard. Overflowing water can cause fertilizer runoff, overwatered shrubs, and topsoil erosion. That means more work and money spent trying to repair your landscape.

Don’t Put It Off!

Your gutters are your home’s first line of defense against water damage. Regular cleaning and maintenance will save you from bigger (and more expensive) issues down the road.

📞 Did you remember that you forgot about your gutters? Give Gutters R Us a call at 269-781-5935 today and let us help protect your home!

When It Rains, It Pours… Into Your Basement? What Summer Storms Can Reveal About Your Gutters

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Mid-summer in Michigan often means warm afternoons, the hum of cicadas—and sudden downpours that hit fast and hard. While the rain might cool things off, it can also expose problems you didn’t know your gutters had.

If you’ve noticed water where it shouldn’t be during or after a storm, your gutter system may be failing its summer stress test. Here’s what to watch for during rainy days—and why summer is the perfect time to tackle hidden gutter issues before they turn into costly damage.

🌧️ Overflowing Gutters Are a Warning Sign

It might seem like a minor nuisance, but water spilling over the sides of your gutters is a clear sign something’s wrong. Overflow during a heavy rain often means:

  • Clogged gutters filled with debris
  • Improper slope or pitch
  • Gutters that are too small for your roof size

When water can’t flow through the system properly, it has no choice but to spill out—right down your siding, into your flower beds, or worse… toward your foundation.

🪟 Water Pooling Near the House? Check Your Downspouts

Summer storms can dump a lot of water quickly. If your downspouts aren’t directing that water far enough away from the foundation, it can lead to:

  • Basement leaks or moisture
  • Cracks in the foundation
  • Erosion in your landscaping or driveway

Downspouts should extend at least 4 to 6 feet from your home. If they’re missing, disconnected, or damaged, it’s time for a fix.

🌿 Debris Isn’t Just a Fall Problem

We tend to think of gutter clogs as a fall issue, but mid-summer brings its own mess. Think:

  • Seed pods and flower debris
  • Pine needles or twigs from storms
  • Roof grit from recent shingle wear

All of this can silently build up in your gutters—even if you had them cleaned in spring. A quick mid-summer check can prevent bigger problems later in the season.

🦟 Standing Water = Mosquito Magnet

Still water left sitting in clogged gutters is the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. If you’ve noticed an uptick in these buzzing pests, your gutter system could be to blame.

Cleaning your gutters out mid-season helps reduce mosquito populations and improves drainage at the same time. Win-win.

🛠️ What to Watch During the Next Rainstorm

Next time the sky opens up, grab an umbrella and do a walkaround. A little observation can tell you a lot about your gutter system’s condition. Keep an eye out for:

  • Water spilling over the edges
  • Gutters sagging or pulling away from the house
  • Leaks or drips at the seams
  • Downspouts that barely trickle or aren’t draining properly
  • Water pooling near the foundation or splashing against siding

If you see any of these red flags, don’t wait for water damage to set in.

Let Gutters R Us Help Before the Next Storm

Summer rainstorms are nature’s way of testing your gutters—are yours up to the task?

If you’ve spotted signs of trouble, Gutters R Us is here to help. Whether it’s a quick cleanout, a downspout repair, or a full system inspection, we’ll make sure your gutters are ready for whatever the rest of the season brings.

📧 Email us at info@guttersrusmi.com    📞 Or give us a call at 269-781-5935

Let’s keep your home safe, dry, and damage-free—all summer long.

 

Why Summer is the Perfect Time for Gutter Maintenance

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The sun’s out, the sprinklers are running, and maybe you’re hearing the familiar buzz of cicadas in the distance. Yep, it’s officially summer in Michigan. While this season brings backyard BBQs and lake days, it’s also the ideal time to tackle one important (but often overlooked) task: gutter maintenance.

You might be thinking “Why worry about gutters in the summer? Isn’t that a fall thing?“ Actually, getting ahead of issues now can save you a major headache when leaves start dropping and storms roll in. Here’s why summer gutter care matters, and what to look for during your mid-year home checkup.

🌦️ Gutters: Your Home’s Rainy Day Armor

Your gutters do a lot more than most people give them credit for. They quietly redirect rainwater away from your foundation, roof, siding, and landscaping. But when they’re clogged, cracked, or sagging, that water has nowhere to go, and that’s when the trouble starts.

Unchecked gutters can lead to:

  • Basement leaks or foundation damage
  • Rotting fascia or roofline
  • Washed-out landscaping and lawn erosion
  • Mold or mildew growth

🧹 1. Are Your Gutters Clean?

Summer is a great time to give your gutters a deep clean. After spring’s rain and debris, your system might be full of:

  • Leaves and twigs
  • Dirt and roofing granules
  • Insects or even small animal nests

Left untouched, that debris creates blockages, encourages mold, and attracts pests. If it’s been a while, it’s time for a clear-out.

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for nests, especially old bird nests or insect activity. If you spot a wasp hive or similar, call a pro for safe removal. (Yes, we can help!)

🔍 2. Are They Functioning Properly?

Gutters aren’t just about being clean—they need to work.

Do a quick visual check:

  • Are your gutters sagging or pulling away from the house?
  • Do you see rust spots or cracks?
  • During a rainstorm, do you notice overflowing water or leaks?

Also, take a walk around your yard. If you spot patchy grass or eroded soil along your home’s edge, water might not be draining where it should.

🏠 3. How’s the Roof Looking?

Gutters and roofs go hand in hand. If your shingles are missing, curled, or damaged, your gutters might never get the chance to do their job. Water will seep in or pool in the wrong places, sometimes without you realizing until major damage is done.

Take time this summer to inspect your roof or have a professional give it a once-over. A healthy roof = a more effective gutter system.

✅ Schedule a Summer Gutter Check with the Pros

Whether you’re up for a DIY inspection or prefer to leave it to the experts, now’s the time to take action before fall hits. At Gutters R Us, we’re here to help you:

  • Clean out debris and nests
  • Repair sagging or leaky sections
  • Evaluate the full health of your system
  • Prep for the leaf-filled months ahead

Give us a call at 269-781-5935 or send us a message here. Let’s make sure your gutters are summer-ready 🌞 and fall-proof! 🍁

4 Ways Clogged Gutters Damage Your Home

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Your gutters and downspouts are designed to funnel rainwater away from your roof, home, lawn, and driveway. When they’re not functioning properly, your home could become vulnerable to a number of long-term, costly damages. Even a little bit of water can cause a lot of damage.  Cleaning your gutters is an important job, but many put it off due to lack of time, resources, or the dangerous nature of the chore. Luckily, the professionals at Gutters R Us are here to help. Here are 4 ways gutter blockages are damaging your home.

 

  1. Broken and Sagging Gutters
    1. When your gutters are clogged, the water and debris they collect has no place to go. Instead, it fills your gutters to the brim. With each gallon of water weighing about 8 pounds, all that extra weight can bend your gutters or tear them away from the roof, bringing part of your home’s exterior with them. If gutters are made out of lower quality materials or are allowed to sag for long enough, the damage to them will be too much and gutter replacement or repair may be necessary.
  2. Plants Growing in Your Gutters
    1. When you don’t clean your gutter on a regular basis, organic matter tends to collect in your gutter system. This dirt and debris, combined with the sunshine and moisture, create the perfect environment for seeds or fungi to sprout. Your gutters can become a planter for hearty weeds, grass, and plants if they aren’t maintained, obstructing the flow of water from your home.
  3. Your Roof and Walls Will Be Damaged
    1. Another good indicator that you have clogged gutters is staining. For the exterior of your home, this is the precursor to more serious damage. Staining on your siding or on the downspouts and gutters is a telltale sign that the gutters have been overflowing due to a clog. Water accumulates on your roof and slowly begins to seep into your home at jointed spots, like where your roof meets the siding (the fascia board) and the underside of your exposed roof (the soffit). Trapped water can rot the wooden fascia boards your gutters are mounted to, letting moisture enter your home. The longer water is allowed to sit on your roof, the more costly repairs will be and might result in replacing your roof altogether. As for the interior, the leaks will worsen creating cracks in your ceilings and walls, even impacting electrical systems.
  4. The Foundation will be Compromised
    1. If you have a 2,000-square-foot home, every inch of rain translates to more than 1,200 gallons of water pouring down your roof!
    2. When water cannot be properly drained from your property, your foundation will also be impacted. Pooling water around your foundation can cause erosion which weakens the walls, leading to foundation cracks and settling. If your basement isn’t perfectly waterproofed, the water pouring down your foundation can lead to a damp basement. This is caused by water seeping through your basement’s porous walls and floor. The foundation is the most important part of your entire house. When that’s compromised, the whole house is in danger. Foundation repair from contractors in our area can cost between $2,000 to $7,000. Taking care of your gutters is a much easier way to sustain the foundation and far less costly.

 

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Problems caused by clogged or broken gutters are expensive to fix, but easy to prevent. Give us a call with any questions or to schedule a free estimate for new gutters, screen or cover install, cleaning, or repairs.

Spring Home Maintenance

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Spring Home Maintenance Reminder
It is critical to keep gutters and downspouts clear and free flowing. As well in good repair. Are your gutters loose or sagging?
If so, tighten any loose gutter hangers and downspout straps. If spout extensions have been added to help keep water away from the house, make sure to reconnect or replace them.
Consider installing gutters screens or covers. They go a long way to keep gutters and downspouts free flowing.
The Gutters R Us team is available to help with any of these issues! Please call us at 269-781-5935 for a free estimate.