In the landscape and construction trades, we talk a lot about "water velocity." It’s not just the amount of water; it’s how fast it hits the ground. B. A. Harris Seamless Gutter knows that a clogged gutter system essentially weaponizes rainwater against your property. Instead of a controlled flow through a downspout, you get a sheet of water falling 20 feet. That impact energy destroys everything below it.
When water falls from the roof edge, it hits the ground with significant force. This is called "splash erosion." In a flower bed, this force blasts the mulch away and exposes the soil. Once the soil is exposed, the water eats away at the dirt around the roots of your expensive shrubs. We see thousands of dollars of landscaping ruined in a single season because the water wasn't contained.
But the bigger issue is the hardscaping. When water pours over a gutter, it lands next to your walkways and patios. It saturates the crushed stone base that supports those pavers. In New England, that wet base freezes in the winter. Water expands by 9% when it freezes. This expansion, or "frost heave," lifts the pavers up. When it thaws, they settle back down, but never perfectly flat. This is why your walkway is uneven. It’s not bad stone; it’s bad water management.
We also see "undermining" of asphalt driveways. The overflow washes away the gravel at the edge of the driveway. Without support, the asphalt cracks and crumbles. It is a slow-motion demolition of your property's infrastructure.
For residents investing in their outdoor spaces, scheduling Gutter Cleaning Dover is the only way to control that hydraulic energy. You have to keep the water inside the pipe. If it’s outside the pipe, it’s costing you money.
Conclusion Uncontrolled water falling from clogged gutters possesses kinetic energy that erodes soil and destroys landscaping. More critically, it saturates the base of hardscaping, leading to frost heaves that unevenly lift and crack pavers and driveways. Effective gutter cleaning manages this energy, preserving the structural integrity of your outdoor investments.
Call to Action Stop the erosion and save your hardscaping. Contact B. A. Harris Seamless Gutter for a cleaning. Visit https://www.guttahs.com/ to book.