What happens when gutters clog?
The roof's water lands where it should not: at the wall, in the basement, in the ice at the roof edge.
- Insured
- Locally owned
- Free estimates
Four places the water goes.
Over the edge.
A few inches of rain on a roof: several thousand gallons.
Into the basement.
Soaked soil lets water wick in, then mold and rot.
Into an ice dam.
A full gutter can freeze and add to one.
Sitting in the gutter.
Maryland lists clogged gutters among the main places mosquitoes breed.
What damage can clogged gutters do to a house?
Clogged gutters spill roof water at the wall, where a few inches of rain can mean several thousand gallons. The soil soaks, water can wick into the basement and lead to mold and rot, and in winter a gutter full of ice can add to an ice dam. We clean gutters around Annapolis, and estimates are free.
Sources: Building America Solution Center, National Weather Service and Maryland Department of Agriculture. Checked October 8, 2026.
Packed, then cleared.
Before: packed with wet leaves. 
After: clear, so rain can reach the downspout.
What you can see from the ground.
Water over the edge
Rain pours over the front, not down the downspout.
Water that stays put
Asian tiger mosquito larvae are in Maryland water April through October.
A soaked strip below
The soil under the gutter line stays wet.
Check where the water goes.
Questions
Can clogged gutters cause basement flooding?
They can. Roof water that spills at the wall soaks the soil around the foundation, and from there it can wick through into the basement or crawlspace.
Can clogged gutters cause roof leaks?
Not on their own. Ice dams come from snow that melts by day and refreezes at night, and after several of those cycles water can work under the shingles into the attic. A gutter full of leaves and ice can add to a dam that is already forming, so clear gutters before winter.
How do I keep ice dams from forming?
Clear leaves and sticks from the gutters and downspouts before winter, so melting snow can drain. Keep snow and icicles off them all winter. Good attic insulation, with air flowing under the roof from the eaves, also helps.
Do clogged gutters attract pests?
Standing water does. Pooling water attracts a variety of pests, and leaves and plant debris built up in a gutter can invite animals to nest.
Get a free estimate.
We clear gutters packed with leaves around Annapolis and on Kent Island. Send the address for a free estimate.
