Gutter cleaning shouldn’t be neglected as the proper function of the gutters plays an important role for your property. Gutters and downspouts tend to get clogged over time with different types of debris such as leaves, dirt, bird nests, tree branches. When this debris isn’t cleaned often, it can create different types of damage for our property.
Unfortunately many property owners neglect gutter cleaning as they consider it unimportant. But the fact that you cannot see the contents of your gutters this doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.
For this reason it’s recommended to check your gutters regularly for clogs. This will help you find out debris and clean it on time before it causes some damage to your property.
Gutters and downspouts should be cleaned regularly to ensure their proper function which is to direct excess water away from our property and keep it safe. It doesn’t matter if you have a home or office building or if your building is high or mid-rise, you should not forget to clean its gutters and downspouts regularly. Their proper function is important for the good maintenance of your building’s condition.
By doing regular gutter cleaning, we ensure a proper water flow through the gutters and this saves us different types of property damage.
Leaves, tree branches, dirt, bird nests and other types of debris, collect inside gutter systems and when they are left uncleaned, they obstructs the water flow inside the gutters. This leads to water damage for your property Blocked gutters are one of the most common cases of water damage for buildings.
Uncleaned gutters and downspouts can lead to some unpleasant issues with your building’s condition. If you don’t fix these issues on time, they will bring property damage which requires a costly and time-consuming repair process.
Experts recommend us to do gutter cleaning at least twice a year- once at the end of spring and once at the end of the summer or beginning of fall. The truth is this depends on several factors. You should think about these common things that determine how often you should clean your gutters.
One of them is the location of your property. If there are many trees around your property, tree branches and bird nests are likely to appear inside your gutters.
The climate of your living area also plays a role. A dry and hot summer for example can lead to the accumulation of dry leaves and tiny branches that compromise the proper function of both your gutters and downspouts.
So, if you live in an open area without trees, then you can clean your downspouts once a year. But if there are tall trees around your property, then it will be good to get your gutters cleaned once every few months.
Why you should clean your gutters regularly?
Here are the things that can happen if you rarely clean your gutters or neglect them altogether:
Leaky roof
Gutters that are clogged with debris risk the safety of your roof. And most of you know how expensive roof repair or replacement can be. When the gutters are clogged, rain water cannot drain fully and the excess soaks through the roof’s structure.
This leads to water overflow to the building’s roof and damage it as it reaches the shingles. When a roof is leaking, all parts of a building are at risk. When your roof is leaking, the exterior your property –facade and walls, can get damaged too. By performing regular gutter cleaning, you can keep all parts of your property safe.
Mold/mildew damage
When rain water isn’t directed away from your property by the gutters, it increases the risk of mildew development. Because when gutters and downspouts are blocked, rain water cannot flow properly and this causes water overflow. Standing filthy water may appear too which increases the chance of mildew growth.
Water overflow leads to mold development which easily spreads in a warm climate. Mold damage restoration is a costly process and that is why we should prevent it from happening. The best way to do this is to keep our gutters free of debris.
Basement flooding
Debris build-up inside gutters can lead to a flooding inside your basement. If your gutters are filled with debris or disconnected from the gutters, the rain water may enter your basement and create a flooding.
That is why it’s recommended that the downspouts drain the rain water at a distance of 6-10 feet away from the house. Otherwise the excess amount of water can enter your basement and damage everything you store there. These can be different types of utilities such as circuit breakers.
Foundation damage
When water doesn’t drain the right way far from a building, the foundation is at risk. Due to the water damage the foundation can crack and foundation cracks are not only dangerous but also require costly repairs too.
But foundation cracks aren’t caused only by water damage but also by expanding ice when the temperatures are low . So winter season can be also the reason for the appearance of foundation cracks.
The best way to avoid this is to make sure all the gutters are cleaned and also extend the downspouts way from your home so that no water comes close to your building’s foundation.
Backyard damage
When there are clogs inside our gutters, they cannot channel water away from the property and this can create water damage for our yard or lawn. When too much drain water pools on your driveway for example, it can lead to mold development. And as rain water pools can freeze in the winter this can lead to dangerous falls .
Garden plants damage
Uncleaned gutters and downspouts can destroy your flower beds or trees around your home or office building. Excess rain water can also go underground and kill our favourite plants.
Pest/bug infestations
Gutters attract birds, squirrels, different pests such as mice, cockroaches and other insects, especially when they are filled with debris. This happens because leaves start to decompose when the weather is warm and they become favourite food source for pests.
As pests and bugs enter the gutters of our building, there is a chance that some of them may enter the building too. Therefore, by keeping our gutters well-clean, we can decrease the chance of having unwelcome “guests”.
Regular gutter cleaning will definitely guarantee you less property repairs in the future. And this saves you money, valuable time and effort. And it will get your property ready for the first rains of fall season.
One of the most effective and safest ways to get your gutters well-cleaned is to get help from a professional cleaning company. They perform gutter inspection to determine the best method to clean them. As they use professional gutter cleaning equipment, they can clean all types of gutters quickly and in a perfect way.
