Your gutters are an essential part of your roof and your home. Gutters collect rainwater, directing it off of your roof and away from your home’s foundation. This is vital to protect the structure of your house, inside and out.
Because your gutters are so essential, it’s important to provide routine cleaning and maintenance for your gutter system. But, many homeowners aren’t sure how to care for their gutters. Luckily, we at Discount Roof are here to help.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the importance of clean gutters, as well as the best time to plan for your gutter cleaning. Keep reading to learn more.
Why Clean Your Gutters?
Owning a home is great. You get your own space that you can personalize and enjoy. But, owning a home can be a lot of work. There are many parts of your home that require routine maintenance. From the gutters to the insulation, there’s a lot to remember. Unfortunately, many homeowners forget about gutter cleaning. This can lead to a variety of problems, from water damage to pest infestations.
Below, we have outlined the most important reasons that you should keep clean gutters for your home.
1. Protect Your Roof
Your gutters are essential for roof drainage. During rainstorms, your gutter systems collect the water and direct it away from your home. Additionally, clean gutters are essential in the winter. Clogged gutters often lead to ice damming, which is devastating for your roof.
When your gutters are blocked, your roof is subjected to water damage. Water can seep into your roofing materials, damaging the shingles, as well as the wooden support structures that comprise your roof. You can face structural damages and costly repairs when water soaks through your roof. Prevent damage to your roof with routine gutter cleaning.
2. Avoid Water Damage
With blocked gutters, more than your roof is damaged. Because the water is not effectively directed away from your home, your roof, siding, walls, foundation, and more can all suffer from water damages.
Water damage does cause discoloration and staining, but it is more than just an aesthetic problem. Excessive moisture leads to mold and mildew growth, as well as structural failure. To protect your entire home from water damage, it’s essential that you have clean gutters.
3. Prevent Foundation Damage
Typically, gutters drain rainwater away from your home. They do not drain directly beside your house. This redirection of water protects your home’s foundation. Without a functional gutter system, water will pool around the base of your home, soaking into the foundation.
Similar to the other areas of your home (such as the walls, siding, and roof), pooling water around your foundation leads to serious problems. You can face structural shifting and decay, as well as mold growth. Protect your foundation with regular gutter cleaning.
4. Deter Pests
Wildlife is always looking for a new place to nest. Unfortunately, this can include your gutters. Many animals and insects like to nest in and around your home, including your roofing systems. These nests can block your gutters, leading to poor drainage, water accumulation, and more concerns.
When you clean your gutters, you can remove these nests and keep unwanted pests away from your house. By planning for regular gutter cleaning, you can routinely eliminate these nests before they cause further damages to your house.
So, When is the Best Time for Gutter Cleaning?
Now that you understand the importance of cleaning your gutters, you should know when to do it. In reality, you can clean your gutters at any time. If you notice they are collecting debris, starting to sag, or not draining correctly, you can clean your gutters any day. However, there are times of the year when it makes the most sense to clean your gutters.
The most important time for gutter cleaning is after the leaves have fallen in the autumn. As the leaves fall from the trees, they land on your roof and in your gutters. This will quickly clog your gutters and disrupt draining. By cleaning your gutters in the fall, you ensure your gutters are ready for the winter.
Another important time to clean your gutters is the springtime. You may find debris collected in your gutters throughout the winter. Additionally, animals and bugs may be nesting in the spring. By cleaning your gutters in the spring, you can protect your roof and home from the rain showers and storms throughout the spring and summer.
Overall, the most important times to clean your gutters are the fall and the spring. With clean gutters, your roof and house will be protected through any weather.
Should You Clean Your Gutters on Your Own?
Many homeowners choose to clean their gutters on their own. This does work, but it can be a hazard and a challenge for many people. DIY gutter cleaning requires ladders, buckets, safety equipment, and tools. For some homeowners, it’s simply not safe.
If you find that it’s not safe for you to climb a ladder and clean your gutters, don’t put yourself at risk. Instead, contact your trusted local roofing company to schedule your gutter maintenance. Routine gutter care prevents more costly concerns in the future.
Ready for Clean Gutters? Call Discount Roof!
Is it time to clean your gutters? Whether you’ve noticed a concern or you just know that it’s time, Discount Roof is here to help. We offer comprehensive and affordable gutter maintenance solutions. Our local crew provides gutter cleaning, gutter guard installation, new gutter installation, and gutter repair. If you have drainage problems or want to schedule routine gutter care, give us a call. We’re happy to help.