If there’s one home maintenance task that is often forgotten about, it’s gutter cleaning. Keeping your gutters clean and clear is one of the most important things you can do to protect your home’s walls, roof, foundation, and landscape. As you prepare to tackle your fall maintenance list this season, keep in mind this information about gutter cleaning.
Clogged gutters cause damage to your home. There are a number of ways that your home can be negatively affected by neglected gutters:
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Gutters accumulate leaves, twigs and other tree debris. This damp environment makes the perfect home for insects, pests and mold, and can also lead to rot.
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As gutters and downspouts start clogging up, rainwater has no place to go, and the resulting overflow can back up into your house, causing damage to the roof, walls, soffits and fascia.
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Water that is not diverted away from your home can also cause damage when it freezes, leading to cracks in the foundation.
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The weight of debris buildup puts a strain on gutter brackets; eventually, the gutters will start pulling away from the house, necessitating gutter repairs.
Gutters should usually be cleaned twice a year. The best times to clean out your gutters are in the spring, after trees have lost all their seed pods, and in the fall, after all the leaves have been shed. It will need to be done more often if you have a lot of trees around your house. Even if you don’t have trees close to your home, leaves often blow over from neighboring yards, so it’s still important to check your gutters.
Gutter cleaning is a simple, if annoying, task. Cleaning out gutters isn’t fun, but it isn’t hard, especially if you have a single-story home. Start by making sure your roof is clear of twigs and leaves to prevent the gutters from getting clogged again. Then, using a sturdy ladder, begin clearing the debris out of the gutters by hand. Be sure to wear heavy work gloves, as you don’t want to touch insects and rotting leaves with your bare hands. After the gutters are clear, flush them out with a garden hose, checking to make sure that the downspouts are draining correctly as well.
While gutter cleaning may be easy, it’s definitely not free of risk. One small misstep can quickly send a homeowner to the hospital. For this reason, Muth & Company Roofing is happy to offer our Care & Maintenance Program. For one low price, our experienced roofers will clean out your gutters for you and inspect your entire roof in the process. To find out more about this program, as well as our Leaf Relief gutter protection system, give us a call at (614) 682-3060.