04.2 - benefits of gutter cleaning

What Is the Importance of Gutter Cleaning?

Gutters are essential in managing where water travels when it exits your roof. It has nowhere to go when your gutters are full of dirt and clogs.

Fuquay Varina Gutters & Power Washing has taken delight in assisting homeowners in saving thousands of dollars on unnecessary house repairs for over 30 years. As a result, I’ll go over the necessity of gutter cleaning and what occurs if you don’t do it.

The following questions are answered in this article:

  • What is the significance of gutter cleaning?
  • Should you do your gutter cleaning?
  • How frequently should you clean your gutters?

What is the significance of gutter cleaning?

As previously said, clogged gutters cause difficulties that may be costly to repair. The last thing you want is to spend hundreds of dollars on a situation that might A simple gutter cleaning may have prevented this.

The three major issues that result from not cleaning your gutters are listed below. 

Your gutters are overflowing with water.

The first thing to be concerned about is water pouring from the gutter sides. Over time, this washes the regions surrounding your foundation, causing fractures.

Foundation repairs are costly; the longer water is allowed to overflow, the more expensive they get. Overflowing water also stains the walls where it continues to flood.

While this is primarily cosmetic, you must repaint or power wash the stains. But if you’re in your lifelong home, this may be fine.

The trash accumulating in your gutters

The next item to be concerned about is the accumulation of debris in your gutters. Resting material prevents water from flowing correctly and causes overflowing.

However, the debris itself presents issues. Because the trash accumulates, it only partially dries out.

This offers an ideal environment for mold/mildew to grow, which may cause health issues as the mold expands as the water continues to overflow. There’s also the matter of the debris’s weight.

When there is too much debris in the gutters, they might pull away from your house because the weight becomes too heavy for the fasteners. This allows water to penetrate your outside walls and enter your home.

If the gutters are left neglected for too long, they will ultimately peel entirely away, which is a costly repair.

Water accumulates behind your gutters.

The last thing you want is water getting behind your gutters. Water that seeps into your interior walls rots the soffit, the margins of your roof decking, the wood surrounding your windows, and the wood around your windows when it gets behind your gutters.

This not only causes health problems and structural damage but it also invites termites and other insects. Leaving your gutters full will ultimately lead to perfectly preventable complications.

While these problems may take time to occur, keeping your gutters full of debris for extended periods can result in costly repairs down the line.

Should you do your gutter cleaning?

You realize the significance of keeping your gutters clean at this time. But, before you rush into the garage to get a ladder, ask yourself, “Should I clean my gutters myself or hire someone?”

For gutter cleaning, contact a professional roofing or gutter business. I thoroughly appreciate the desire to save money by doing it yourself.

Climbing a ladder, on the other hand, involves significant bodily risk. Get an expert if you are only somewhat comfortable being on a ladder.

But it is entirely your choice. If you want to clear your gutters, be sure your ladder is safe and adequately functional.

Check the ladder rungs for cracks and only use them on a solid surface. Most essential, DO 

NOT PLACE IT AGAINST THE GUTTERS AS YOUR WEIGHT WILL CAUSE THEM TO CRACK.

Please keep all of this in mind if you want to clean out your gutters. If you’re unsure you can do it safely, contact a professional.

How often should your gutters be cleaned out?

Whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, you should clear out your gutters at least once or twice a year. The most significant time to clear your drains is in the autumn, after all the leaves have fallen for the season.

However, cleaning them out in late spring/early summer to prepare them for autumn is also a good idea. That is why I suggest cleaning them out twice a year to keep up with the changing seasons.

It is ultimately up to you to select how often you clean them. It is crucial to keep them from getting so full that they cause harm to your roof and property.

Is gutter cleaning part of roof maintenance?

You now understand how vital it is to clean your gutters, if you should do it yourself, and how often they should be cleaned. Remember, if you aren’t entirely comfortable on a ladder or dealing with heights, you should never attempt to clean your gutters.

While I always encourage hiring a professional, every homeowner must decide. However, did you know that gutter cleaning is essential to roof maintenance?

A roof maintenance schedule is an excellent method to remain on top of gutter cleanings before any of the issues above arise. However, it provides much more than gutter cleaning.

That is why you must understand the significance of enrolling your roof in a maintenance program.

Learn what a regular maintenance schedule provides you and your roof in 4 Reasons You Need a Roof Maintenance Program.