The gutters that encircle your home’s roof are essential to the overall functionality of your roof in terms of how quickly rainwater is diverted away from your home before penetrating water and moisture can cause dam problems.
If the guttering on your home becomes clogged with leaves and other debris, which can create blockages, water may overflow and run down the exterior walls of your home. When water pools around your foundation, it can lead to erosion, which weakens the walls and causes them to crack. Additionally, clogged gutters might result in water leaks inside your home if they are not cleaned regularly. In this article, you’ll find out how to clean and maintain your gutters.
HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR GUTTER
-
Regular Maintenance
It is necessary to do routine maintenance in order to keep your gutters and downspouts free of debris and leaves, and this will ensure that they function as intended. As a general rule, you should clear out your gutters at least twice per year.
If you have a lot of trees on your property, trimming them regularly can help keep leaves out of your gutters. Remove any branches that are hanging over your gutters by cutting them back. This will definitely reduce the number of leaves that need to be cleaned up will definitely be reduced.
There are a variety of brands and styles of gutter screens available on the market today, all of which can contribute to making it simpler to clean gutters. The installation of plastic drop-in screens is a pretty simple process. They do a decent job of preventing leaves from entering the gutters, but you still need to be cautious because tiny debris such as seeds and pine needles can still enter the gutters.
TheSputOff is another product that can make cleaning your gutters easier. TheSpoutOff is helpful if your rain gutter outlets are small because they have a larger opening that lets water flow down even if other parts of the gutter are clogged.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU CLEAN YOUR GUTTERS
Ladder Safety
You’ll need to climb up a ladder to get to your gutter. Your ladder needs to be sturdy, safe, and big enough to get the job done.
Use the Proper Tools
There are more tools involved in clearing your gutter. A ladder and your hands aren’t the only tools. Some of the tools you would need are:
- Thick Gloves: They help protect your skin from dirt
- Protective Eyewear: To shield your eyes from whatever debris might fly out of the downspout when cleaning gutters
- A Plastic Scooping Tool and Bucket: A plastic scoop and bucket can help you clear out the dirt.
- A Garden Hose: To wash away mud and unclogged downspouts
Know When to Hire a Pro
If the job is too physically demanding or you are worried about your safety climbing up and down the ladder, hire a professional to clean out your gutters.