Generally speaking, the importance of gutter cleaning is kind of an all or nothing thing.
If your home or property is located in an area that has no tall trees or vegetation, then its very unlikely that you have anything in your gutters to clean. HOWEVER, if you’re property is in close proximity to trees or even a tree, gutter cleaning will almost always be of importance to you. But, Why?
What are gutters for?
The main purpose of gutters is to collect and direct water that falls on the roof to the ground. The main sections of gutters are installed horizontally around the perimeter of the property. At various locations along these vertical sections there are holes and connections where the horizontal sections of gutter connect to vertical sections of gutter.
The vertical sections are called downspouts. The downspouts allow the water to quickly drain from the horizontal gutter down to the ground. Without gutters rainwater would be able to drain freely from the roof which would saturate the area around the perimeter of the property, which can lead to issues with water damage, erosion, wood destroying organisms, and in some cases structural issues.
Leaves and Straw clog gutters! Gutters are a great invention and when they are in good condition and properly sized and installed they do a really good job of containing and directed rain water. However, if there is one thing that can mess everything up, its leaves and straw. If your property is close to tall trees, you will find out that gutters do a great job of collecting leaves and straw. The problem is that unlike water, the leaves and straw do no draw out. Rather they fill up and clog gutters and downspouts.
Why are clogged gutters a problem?
When gutters become clogged, they tend to overflow with water whenever you have a good rain. This overflowing is caused by the gutters not draining quickly enough through the downspouts.
Gutter Damage: In extreme cases of clogged gutters, the added weight of the trapped water standing in the gutters can even loosen the gutters or cause them to pull away from the house. This of particular concern in areas that get snow and ice because the rain can freeze and the added weight will remain in the gutters until the weather warms up enough for the water to thaw and drain.
Rotten Fascia Boards and Soffit: Clogged gutters can also allow water to run back behind the gutters and onto the wooden soffit and fascia. If left unaddressed this type of overspilling can cause the wood fascia boards to rot, the same is also true for the soffit. This damage can be unsightly and is something that you will then be tasked with repairing.
More problems: In some cases water overflowing from gutters can run down the fascia and across the soffit and into your house. This can result to moisture problems in ceilings, attics and walls.
How can this be avoided?
Add Gutter Cleaning to Your Home Maintenance Schedule.
If you live in an area where leaves and debris fall into your gutters, you should make gutter cleaning part of your property maintenance scheduled tasks. That’s true whether you choose to do it yourself or hire someone do it. Keeping your gutters clean is an ongoing process as long as there are trees nearby. There are lots of different products on the market that are designed to limit the amount of debris that gets into the gutters.
One of the key pillars to property ownership is preventative maintenance. Even though it may be inconvenient, it’s almost always better to maintain your gutters on an ongoing basis, rather than to let things slip into disrepair and then have to deal with the potentially costly repairs.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How Often do I need to clean my gutters?
In most cases, cleaning the gutters twice a year, once in the spring, and once in the fall will be sufficient. However, if your property is surrounded by trees, you may have to clean them more regularly.
How do I know it’s time to clean my gutters?
In extreme cases, you will see leaves and straw overflowing from the gutters. In other instances, the gutters may have leaves in straw in them, but they don’t extend above the top of the gutter for easy visibility. If you’re not a DIYer, don’t worry! For these situations where you can’t visually observe the debris, you can pay attention to your gutters when it rains. If you see them spilling over there is a good chance that it’s time for a cleaning.
Can I clean my gutters myself?
The answer is, Yes. But a better question is should you? If you’re not someone that has had substantial experience setting, climbing, and working on ladders, you may want to just hire a professional.
Do they make tools for cleaning gutters from the ground?
Yes they do. However, there is no substitute for climbing a ladder and cleaning them manually. This process also allows for a visual inspection of the gutters. Additionally, most of the tools designed for cleaning gutters from the ground are really designed for one story homes.
“Hey Renos, I’m a daredevil, a skilled DIYer, or a trapeze artist and I still want to clean my owner gutters what do I need to know about the ladder?”
Well, if you just have to clean your own gutters there are a few things to keep in mind. Number one BE CAUTIOUS. Make sure that you have a sturdy ladder. Make sure that the ladder is firmly placed on the ground and is positioned on level ground. As an added layer of safety, please have someone hold and steady the ladder to ensure that it doesn’t move while you are working or climbing (up or down). Prior to getting ready to climb the ladder, take the time to walk around the perimeter of the property and look for any obvious safety issues. Look every from the ground, soffit and fascia, roof, gutters, and surrounding safety issue like power lines, trees, rodents, and insects.
Note: If you are afraid of Wildlife such as BUGS and Squirrels, then you may just want to sit this adventure out. With your scary self…
Remember that once you are up the ladder there is essentially nowhere to run. If you run into a wasp nest or some type of rodent you are going to have to keep your cool and focus as you descend so that you don’t fall. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes with good grip. Don’t climb the ladder when its wet outside or while the ladder is wet. Also, be sure to place the ladder on level non-slippery ground. Once you start cleaning, work within your immediate area. Avoid the temptation to reach out too far to your left and right. Be conservative with your work area and Just keep moving the ladder as you work.
Also, be aware that moving the ladder can scratch the paint on wood, siding, and gutters. They do make rubber covers that fit over the ends of the top end of the gutters to prevent the ladder from scratching the surfaces that it leans against.
Regardless of whether you clean the gutters yourself or you hire some to clean them for you, just make sure that it get done. Your house will thank you and so will your wallet!