If you've not been able to clean your gutters for a few years, they might be clogged and developing other problems like sagging and leaking. Gutters need regular cleaning and service so they function like they should. It's not always an easy chore if you're busy or if you have mobility problems that prevent you from getting on a ladder or stretching and reaching. Fortunately, you can hire a gutter cleaning service to get your gutters back in shape. Here's why it's important to clean out your gutters and how it's done.
Why Your Gutters Need To Be Cleaned Out
The best time to clean gutters is in the autumn when the trees are bare so no more leaves will fall in them. This ensures they're clean before winter arrives so they won't clog up, freeze, and cause problems with your roof. The reason gutters need to be clean is so water can drain away from your roof and the foundation of your house. Otherwise, your home could sustain water damage. Plus, if your gutter troughs are weighed down with clumps of wet leaves, the weight can pull the gutters out of alignment or cause them to work loose. In addition, a trough full of leaves invites bugs and animals to nest in them and dig around for food which can cause further damage.
How Gutters Are Cleaned
Gutters can be cleaned out in different ways. Digging out the leaves by hand is an effective way to do it and it keeps leaves from getting in your landscaping near your home. However, it's also possible to blow the leaves on through the system using a power washer. The goal is to get all the leaves and debris out of the troughs so they can be inspected for damage and checked for proper drainage. This can be done by running water in a trough with a hose. This reveals leaks in seams and shows if water drains toward the downspout or if it just pools in the trough. If water doesn't drain by itself, it's a sign the trough needs to be adjusted.
The downspout is another important part that needs cleaned and checked. Since it's an enclosed tube, leaves can get stuck inside it and block water from draining out of the gutters. Clogs can be removed with a power washer or by using a long handle and pushing them on through. Water should be run through the downspout to ensure it flows quickly out the other end and flows away from your house.
Cleaning out your gutters is an easy job for a cleaning service and it could save you a lot of money by preventing roof damage or foundation leaks. If you can't clean your gutters yourself, it's worth the expense to hire gutter cleaning services to do it for you.
