You’re probably familiar with the long-running game show called The Price is Right, where contestants are presented with a wide range of prizes of which they are required to guess the “actual retail price” in order to win them.

What if you had to pick out the “actual invoice price” of various kinds of home maintenance or repair services? It wouldn’t be nearly as fun as deducing the price of prizes.

Unfortunately, you might be forced to incur these costs if you do not keep your home’s gutters clean and free of debris. That’s because clogged or inadequate guttering systems can displace runoff water into unwanted areas – which can lead to significant damage to your home.

Here are some estimated invoice prices for service providers or contractors that you may have to pay if your gutters aren’t clean and functional:

• $370: The average cost for a year’s worth of professional gutter cleaning services for your home. That breaks down into twice-a-year gutter cleaning at $185 per visit. Of course, if your home is bigger or multi-story, the cost to clean your gutters will be higher than that.
• $1,075: The average cost for replacing gutters and downspouts on a home. This may be necessary if debris sits inside your gutters for months (or years), or if ice and snow buildup occurs in your gutters multiple times. The excess weight can buckle or crack your gutters or even cause them to separate from your home altogether.
• $2,500: The average cost to replace the fascia and soffits on your home. These are the wooden components on your roofline onto which your gutters are usually attached. If clogged or improperly-positioned guttering cause water to run over the back edge of the gutter sections, the water can cause wood rotting over time; which can facilitate interior water leaks if left unaddressed.

• $2,523: The average cost to repair damage caused by water overflows from your gutters. In addition to soffitts and fascia, displaced water can stain or erode home siding, which leads to a premature siding replacement. In addition, water falling into landscaping near the home can cause mulch and soil to deteriorate, leaving your plants, shrubs, and flowers dead or in disarray.
• $7,000: The average cost of pumping out water from a flooded basement and then repairing the damage it has left behind. Runoff water that overflows your gutters can fall onto the ground and eventually work its way through your basement walls or windows. Once it invades your basement, the water can damage carpeting, wood flooring, walls, and furniture.
• $12,000:The average cost of foundation repair for a home. Over time, all that displaced water that falls near the base of your home can buckle, crack, or otherwise compromise your foundation. Because these repairs require specialized hydraulic piering equipment and techniques, the repair expenses will easily run into the thousands (or tens of thousands) of dollars.

If you want to avoid these substantial hits to your bank account, consider having the Gutter Helmet gutter protection system installed on your home. Its patented design keeps solid debris out of your gutters while providing ample openings for runoff water or snowmelt to trickle into them, where the water can be properly displaced out of your downspouts.

Here’s one more price to be aware of:

• $0: The cost of an on-site, no-obligation estimate for having Gutter Helmet installed on your home. You can make an appointment for this estimate with Harry Helmet online by filling out this form or calling 1-888-5-HELMET. Plus, you’ll never have to clean your gutters again!

Written by Del Thebaud