Cleaning your gutters can be a daunting task, but it is crucial for your home’s overall security and well-being. Typically, gutters control the flow of rainwater, protecting roofs, walls, and landscaping.
Unfortunately, gutters are at risk of being blocked by rainwater, dust and debris, and falling leaves from nearby trees. Clogged gutters can cause major problems and compromise the property’s overall integrity.
The reality is most people often ignore their gutters when maintaining a home. As a result, they will have to experience costly inconveniences in the future. That’s why through this context, we will let you know different reasons for cleaning your gutters.
What Does It Mean Gutter Cleaning?
In simple terms, gutter cleaning is the procedure of cleaning any dirt, debris, and leaves from a gutter. In most cases, gutter paths are closed due to leaves, sticks, and other water-resistant debris during rains. This pushes the roof to leak, causing the inside or outside of the house to be damaged by water.
Neglecting gutter maintenance can be a nightmare for people living at home. The procedure of gutter cleaning is quite simple. But sometimes, gutter cleaning can be challenging because it requires climbing a little high in the house’s backyard.
There is a high chance of getting injured while cleaning a gutter. In that case, picking the right ladder for cleaning gutters helps to prevent possible accidents. Besides, a ladder will offer you adjustable height and is stable and portable.
Reasons Why You Should Clean Your Gutters
A clean gutter will ensure the flow of rainwater from the roof. On the contrary, a clogged or blocked gutter will lead to overflows onto and off the roof. Below we have explored some reasons why you have to clean your gutters on a routine basis.
Avoid Water Damage
Gutters collect rainwater that runs off your roof and flows away from your home through the drainpipe. But when leaves, dirt, or debris clog up the gutters, rainwater can’t flow as well away from your home roof. Over time, your gutters will overflow with water, causing your foundation to leak. As a consequence, water damage to your roof, siding, and foundation can cost thousands of dollars.
Ward Off Pests
Blocked gutters are an ideal place for rodents and pests. For that, pets like squirrels, bugs, mice, and birds make their residence in your gutters. The problem will worsen if the pests enter your home through the gutter system. This can cause serious health threats for your family. In that case, proper cleaning of your gutters will help you to avoid the possibility of infestation of rats or insects.
Prevent Basement Flooding
When gutters work properly, they flow rainwater under the spouts of the drain as well as away from the foundation of your home. But if the gutters are clogged, water can seep down and collect in your basement. If your landscaping doesn’t slope away from your home, this issue will be worse. So, you will need to ensure your gutters and down pipe are free from blockage.
Extend Gutter Lifespan
Blocked gutters can collect debris and dirt, causing damage under the mounting place. It can lead to corrosion and rust that can affect the lifespan of your gutters. Broken gutters can cause the same damage as unclean gutters. Usually, proper maintenance and cleaning of gutters last around 20 to 50 years, depending on the material used. But clogged gutters can last for a maximum of 5 to 10 years.
Unsightly Appearance
No one wants their house to look bad. In that case, gutters play a crucial role in making a home appearance stunning. A clean gutter will help your home’s siding look the same as before. But when gutters collect debris, rainwater can overflow. This overflowing water stains the siding and spoils the look of the roof shingles. In the end, the exterior design of your home will look worn out.
How Do I Know If I Need To Clean My Drains?
A routine gutter cleaning will help prevent your gutter from getting clogged. Here we have pointed out a few signs that enable you to know whether you need to clean your gutters.
- You spot insects, birds, or other pests on your roof.
- Notice sloping water over the sides of your gutters.
- Gutters have started to move.
- Home siding stained with a stain.
- Plants growing in your gutters.
- Your gutters haven’t been cleaned in a long time.
How To Clean Your Gutters
Gutter cleaning will not be challenging with the right tools. Here we have demonstrated how you can clean your gutters.
- Ensure you have an extendable and sturdy ladder. Install the ladder on sturdy ground. In that case, you can take the help of someone to stabilize the ladder or use a ladder stabilizer.
- Wear an ideal dress for the job. You can dress in a long-sleeved shirt, rubber gloves, and work pants.
- Use a small plastic shovel to pull the gunk from the gutters. You can also use an old plastic kitchen spatula that won’t harm the gutters.
- Now remove the debris and dust using the scoop from your gutters. To collect all the gunk, you can spread sailcloth under your workspace.
- Use a water hose pipe to wash the gutters and remove any remaining debris. This will help you to explore if your gutters have any leaks. Once you have cleaned the gutter, fix any sagging metal.
How Often Should You Clean Gutters?
Regularly cleaning your gutters is essential, but obviously not necessary to check every day. It is good practice to clean your gutters twice a year: fall and spring. Clogged debris for snow melting will be easy to remove between the fall and winter in the spring.
On the other hand, cleaning your gutters will be easy in summer and spring before it gets too cold. You may need to clean out the gutters more often if your home is near trees. In the case of a large number of red maples or scarlet oaks in your backyard, your gutters are more likely to collect leaves.
Conclusion
Home is the most significant investment you will make in your life. So, you should always ensure your home is not affected by anything. As the gutters can make a good impact on your home, you should always clear debris and dust on a routine basis. However, you might have understood the reasons for cleaning your gutters in this context. Basically, gutters control the rainwater on your home’s roof. As a result, your house roof, walls, and landscaping are being protected.
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