Do you consider gutter cleaning an important task? Every homeowner has an ongoing to-do list that includes regular tasks like mowing the lawn in the summer and raking leaves in the fall, but is gutter cleaning on your list? If not, you should consider adding it.
Why Should I Clean My Gutters?
Gutters are designed to collect the water that comes off your roof when it rains and then direct it away from your home to prevent damage. The surface area of a typical roof can produce a surprisingly large amount of runoff.
Left unchecked, this roof runoff can damage landscaping and the foundation of your home. The force of the water hitting the ground erodes the soil allowing for the roots of plants and shrubbery to be exposed. It can also cause damage to wood and to brick foundations, leading to rot and settlement or even a wet basement. Higher toward the roof, clogged gutters can result in rotten fascia boards and possible damage to interior walls and ceilings.
Removing leaves and debris from gutters also discourages animals like birds and squirrels from building nests and making themselves comfortable in gutters and on the roof of your home.
How Often Should I Clean My Gutters?
It’s common knowledge that the main culprit for clogged gutters is dead leaves, so autumn is the season when most homeowners think about their gutters. Dead leaves combine with fall rains to form a mat that fills gutters and dams up the downspouts causing overflow.
Since not all trees are alike, leaves can fall at different rates so sometimes it’s necessary to clean gutters several times during the season. If you have pine trees on your property, you will need to inspect your gutters every 3 months as they tend to shed their needles year-round.
As a rule, most roofers and tree experts recommend cleaning gutters twice a year, typically in the fall and late spring.
Should I Handle Gutter Cleaning Myself?
For most people, gutter cleaning is not the hardest task. It’s getting up high on a ladder in order to clean them that poses the issue. If you are not comfortable with heights, it can be an excuse to put off gutter cleaning, which can lead to greater problems down the road.
Safety is always a concern when working on your home so hiring a professional may be the best solution. An experienced service provider will have the proper equipment and training to clean your gutters thoroughly in a timely fashion, while keeping safety in mind. They can also suggest and install products that may cut down on future maintenance costs.
Men In Kilts, for example, uses gutter vacuums that produce powerful suction to remove debris and leaves from gutters, as well as extreme close-up gutter cameras that allow us to provide accurate inspections, quotes and quality checks.
Want to Leave Gutter Cleaning to the Professionals?
Men In Kilts offers complete gutter and downspout cleaning. If you’d like to find out how much it would cost to have us professionally clean your gutters, we’d be happy to provide you with a free estimate.
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