For months, I walked past the north-facing side of my house with blissful ignorance. The gutters were up there, doing their job—or so I thought. Out of sight, out of mind. I assumed that gravity and engineering were working in harmony to whisk the rainwater away. I was wrong. What was actually happening up there was a slow-motion ecological disaster. Leaves from the neighbor’s oak tree, shingle grit, and what I can only describe as "organic compost" were staging a hostile takeover.
: Leaves, twigs, and dirt are the most common culprits, especially during autumn or after heavy storms.
: In severe cases of neglect, seeds trapped in built-up silt can sprout, leading to literal mini-gardens in your eaves.