Are Your Gutters Ready For Fall? Gutter Cleaning Tips That Will Protect Your Home and Save You Money

It may be the dog days of summer outside, but in just a few weeks the leaves will begin to turn, and autumn will be upon us again. On these nice days, taking advantage of the good weather and completing some fall gutter cleaning is a great way to ensure your home is protected in the upcoming months.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a handy-person and may not be into do-it-yourself home improvement projects, maintaining the gutter system for a home is actually very simple. You can choose to start with basic cleaning, and then determine if hiring professionals or even replacing your gutter system with something like the gutter guards that we offer may be the best option for your home.

Gutter Cleaning

The gutters are designed to allow water from the roof to be directed down the length of the front or the back of the home to a downspout. This downspout pushes the runoff water away from the home, preventing extra moisture at the foundation that can cause it to shift, crack, or leak. This kind of damage can be extremely costly and difficult to repair so maintaining your gutters is the best way to avoid some very expensive problems in the future.

Leaves, twigs, pine needles, gravel from the shingles and all types of materials can end up in the gutters, and they prevent the movement of the water. Removing these dams in the gutters is easy and can be done by hand or with a wire brush. Use a glove to protect your skin and prevent cuts or scrapes. After cleaning, use a hose to wash out any remaining debris. Don’t forget to check the downspouts and take them apart to clean if necessary.

Damaged Areas of Gutters

Older styles of aluminum gutters or metal gutters can rust or even develop holes or gaps between sections, or areas where rust is going to result in leaks. For holes, clean the surrounding area and cut a small piece of tin or sheet metal. Bend it to fit the curve of the gutter and to substantially cover the hole. Then, spread roofing cement on the dry area around the hole, cover with the cut piece and apply a coating of roofing cement to the top. Allow to dry completely to prevent the fix for the gap or the hole from washing away before the cement hardens.

Rusted areas should be cleaned with a wire brush or a small bit of steel wool. Then, apply a light coating of the roofing cement over the cleaned area and allow to dry.

If gutters have pulled away from the building, or if the downspout is detached. Use sheet metal screws or a U-shaped bracket to secure it to the home. You can find the equipment you need for this kind of repair from your local hardware store.

Gutters are attached to a board on the home, called the fascia board. Most often when gutters pull away from the home it is because those parts of the fascia board have become soft or rotten. The fascia board is considered the most expensive board on a home, because it is replaced more than any other board due to common gutters. Common gutters often overflow due to clogging caused by leaves and debris. When gutters overflow the water runs over the front and the back of the gutters, causing the fascia board to rot.

Cleaning your gutters should be one housekeeping task you don’t skip this season. If left untouched, clogged gutters can result in unnecessary damage to your home’s foundation due to moisture and run off. Ignoring clogged gutters could result in far more costly repairs to your foundation, eaves, and overhangs in the future, but if you don’t have the equipment to clean your gutters properly or just want to take a difficult chore off your hands, we can help.

By adding our gutter guards, it allows gutters to remain free flowing, preventing any risk of blockages or water flow problems. We can also provide a new seamless gutter system for your home, getting rid of old, rusted or outdated gutters and giving your house a new, fresh look.

Contact us to schedule your consultation on how we can help you to protect your gutters and your home.