Mold found anywhere in or around your home is not a welcome sight. When it comes to your gutters, the conditions don’t get much better for mold to grow and thrive.

Find out what causes mold to grow in your gutters and what you can do to prevent it.

Why Mold Grows in Your Gutters

If you have older gutters, you’ll notice that, many times, they are put together in pieces and sections. They are open to the elements and there is typically always moisture present.

All sorts of things land in the gutter from leaves, twigs, seeds, pollen, and dirt. As leaves and other yard debris sits in the gutters and stays wet, it’s all mold needs to settle in and grow.

Once mold takes hold in your gutters, it’s possible that it can grow and attach itself not only to your roof and fascia, but to your downspouts, siding, and exterior surfaces of your home.

Eventually, this leads to damage and destruction of your home.

Preventing Mold Growth in Your Gutters

Once yard debris bunches up and blocks the flow of water through the downspouts, there’s nowhere for the water to go.

Since there’s no real ventilation to dry up wet debris and gutters, mold takes root and spreads.

To prevent all of this, it’s very important to clean and maintain your gutters a couple of times per year in spring and fall.

Clear the Gutters

Remove anything that’s been wet and sitting in the gutters, including rotting yard debris that blocks water flow.

Clean the Gutters

Once the gutters have been cleared, they need to be cleaned.

You can clean with a DIY solution by mixing 1 cup of bleach with a teaspoon of dish soap in a quart of water. Using a scrub brush, pour the solution into the gutters and clean thoroughly.

Dip the brush into the solution and scrub the outside of the gutters, fascia and any other areas that are black with visible mold.

You can also purchase a commercial gutter cleaner that attaches to your hose and can be sprayed directly into the gutters to clean up and kill any existing mold.

Gutter Repairs

Inspect your gutters during spring and fall for leaks, anything growing in the gutters, and any visible branches, bulging or pooling water.

Noticeable leaks or cracks need to be repaired immediately because excess water allowed to drip down the exterior or pool in a gutter or downspout encourages mold growth.

Active, spreading mold can and will cause expensive and potentially extensive damage to your home.

Conclusion

While clogged gutters cause damage on their own, remember that growing mold left unchecked can cause damage to your gutters, roof, fascia and exterior of your home.

For help getting a mold problem under control, call the experts at RCS in Santa Rosa at 707-570-0555. We have the solutions to all of your mold issues.