8 Signs That Your Gutters Are Clogged & Need Cleaning

When it comes to crossing chores off your outdoor to-do list, gutters are likely the last thing you think about. After all, out of sight, out of mind, right? Ignoring your gutters and their day-to-day maintenance can be easy — until you start noticing the signs of damage that can come from neglected gutters appearing in your roof, walls, and foundation. As a result, rather than waiting for damage to happen, it's best to be on top of regular maintenance when it comes to your gutter, and this means learning to identify the signs of a clog.

In many cases, having your gutters cleaned twice a year can suffice. However, if you miss out on one of these cleaning times, or if other conditions lead to a buildup of debris, you could find yourself with a clog on your hands. Left untreated, clogged gutters can lead to costly, time-consuming damage to your home. However, by recognizing the signs that your gutter is clogged, such as overflowing water or ice dams, you can fix the problem sooner.

Have your gutters been looking a little...lopsided? Dirt, twigs, leaves — these are all common causes of gutter clogs, and each material can add weight to your gutters. Of course, your gutters are designed with one purpose in mind: channeling water collected from your roof away from your foundation, which means that any additional weight can really take a toll, leading to sagging gutters. At first, this just reduces efficiency. However, over time, it can damage your gutter and lead to bigger problems than just a heavy clog.

With perfectly functioning gutters, precipitation rolls off the roof and is collected in the gutter, which then directs the water through a downspout and away from your home. However, if your gutter rail or downspout is clogged, then that water likely isn't going anywhere. Small rain showers may not cause noticeable symptoms, but when a large amount of water pools up, instead of going down the downspout as intended, you may notice water flowing over the sides of your gutters.

Once that water starts overflowing from your gutters, it has to go somewhere. And that somewhere may just be your home's foundation. When the water flows out the side of your gutters rather than the downspout, it doesn't have any direction or guidance. As a result, the water can end up in the last place you wanted it to: around your foundation. Water pooling here can have dire consequences as it can lead to cracks in your home's foundation that will require even more work (and thus time and money) to repair.

Take a look at your siding. Is it stained? Maybe a little mildew is starting to form? There are many reasons that your home's exterior can become stained, especially since it's regularly exposed to the elements, but one cause can be a clogged gutter. As mentioned above, when your gutter can't direct water, it has nowhere else to go other than over the sides. Before it reaches your foundation, however, it may run down the side of your home. Over time, this can lead to water stains, mildew, mold, or damage.

Exterior problems aren't the only ones that can pop up if you've accidentally neglected your gutters. Instead, what starts as an exterior clog with exterior issues can easily make its way indoors. For example, the same water that's leading to discoloration or damage to your home's siding? It can also damage your interior walls with enough rainfall. As water pools up around your foundation rather than being channeled away appropriately, it can also leach into your basement. This can look like leaks or water spots, as well as flooding in more severe cases.

So we know that gutter clogs can be caused by a variety of organic materials, from twigs and branches to leaves or dirt. For many animals, these are all perfect nesting materials, and your gutter, with its privacy and stability, can make an ideal nesting site. As a result, if your gutter is clogged, you may notice pests living in your gutters. Sometimes, animals may build their nests after a clog has occurred because there are ample resources available in your gutter. Other times, their nest may be the source of the clog.

While we're on the topic of leaves providing the perfect place for critters in your gutters, falling organic debris can also lead to another tell-tale sign that your gutters are clogged: They're growing plants. All those leaves and twigs decomposing make the perfect fertilizer, and trapped water adds just enough moisture that, if an acorn or seed were to end up in your gutter, it could sprout. You can help reduce the chance of this happening by taking the steps to keep your gutters free of leaves and seeds, such as trimming nearby trees.

If you don't live somewhere with freezing temperatures, you may never notice this sign of a clogged gutter. However, if you do, ice dams can be a good indication that your gutters need to be cleaned. Now, a clogged gutter isn't the cause of ice dams, but they do play a role. This is because, when the water can't drain, it becomes trapped before freezing once the temperature drops. As a result, it can be helpful to ensure that your gutters aren't just clean but properly installed to help reduce the likelihood of ice dams forming.