Why Regular Gutter Cleaning Is a Smart Idea
It’s fall and in the north, where red maple, sugar maple, red oak, white oak, beech and birch can be found just about anywhere. As the weather starts to cool, many people’s thoughts turn to the falling leaves, but not just for the vibrant colors they display. Those leaves often end up in rain gutters everywhere and can, if left untended, cause mild to extensive damage to your home.
How Removing Debris from Your Rain Gutters Can Protect Your Home
There are many benefits to keeping your gutters clean:
- You minimize the risk of structural damage—When you let leaves and branches accumulate in your rain gutters, they can form a type of dam (similar to what a beaver would build). That dam can trap and retain water, which can seep under your roof shingles or ooze down your fascia. That’s a good recipe for wood rot and can even lead to roof leaks and damage to attic or ceiling. Water can be absorbed into fascia boards, causing them to warp or bow.
- You reduce the risk of compromising your foundation—Blocked gutters can also lead to pooling along your foundation, which, over time, can cause cracks in poured cement or cement block or can cause the substructure of your home to move or shift. It can also damage or kill any shrubs or other greenery around the base of your home.
- You can potentially avoid a wide range of pests—Water and wet brush or leaves in a rain gutter can be an optimal environment for birds, squirrels and other types of pests, including termites
Another bonus to keeping your gutters clean—they’ll typically last longer. Wet leaves can quickly accumulate a fair amount of weight and can pull, bend or twist gutters. If your gutters are metal, they’ll be more susceptible to rust if they’re continually filled with wet leaves.
Should You Clean Your Own Gutters?
If you live in a single story home, have a good ladder and know how to use it, cleaning your gutters is a relatively straightforward task. You’ll typically find it easier if you clean the gutters more than once a year. In addition, if your house is deep in the woods or you have a lot of deciduous trees on your property, you may need to clean the gutters more than once when leaves are falling. If you have a multilevel home, it’s a good idea to hire a professional.
Enjoy the Leaves in the Fall—Don’t Let Them Damage Your Home
If you own a home with leaf-bearing trees nearby, it’s essential that you remove the leaves from your rain gutters before winter sets in, so that you minimize risk of damage to your roof, your fascia or your foundation.
