Why You Should Keep Your Gutters Clean Throughout the Year

When you have an older home it’s likely that your roof has old-style gutters on it. These are composed of segments that are joined together at seams. They’re attached to your home’s fascia using screws. The areas where these seams and openings are located will collect water that can’t escape easily so mold will start growing there. This can compromise your home’s structural integrity unless you conduct routine gutters maintenance which consists of inspecting them and filling any small holes you find with caulk.

What to Look for When Conducting Gutters Maintenance

When you’re inspecting your gutters, there are several things that you should be on the lookout for. These include:

• You want to make sure that your gutters can handle the volume and rate of water that flows through them. When you get a lot of rain or have a roof that’s steeply pitched the forceful overflow of water from your downspouts will damage your deck, patio, and home’s foundation. This is why you should make sure you have the right size of gutters on your home.
• When you have pine trees (a.k.a. evergreens) on your property they’ll drop their needles into your gutters causing them to become clogged. You can use a leaf blower, wet-dry vacuum, or power washer to remove them so water can flow normally without pooling there and ruining your home’s fascia, foundation, soil, patio, and sidewalk.
• Trees deposit pollen and seeds in your gutters causing them to become clogged. This can also make your allergies worse. To fix both issues you should clean your gutters at least once in the summer.
• When you own a home that’s located downhill from other homes leaf litter will quickly pile up in your gutters. This is because the wind will carry them there. Unfortunately, this is beyond your control, which is why you should conduct gutters maintenance four times a year when you own such a home.
• Hurricanes can cause your gutters to become cracked. They can also leave debris to decompose in your gutters where ants or termites may then start feasting on them. This will either slow or block your gutters’ flow and damage your downspouts. This is why it’s so important to conduct gutters maintenance after each storm.
• When you have asphalt roof shingles on your home it’s possible for them to slough off and leave sand-like grit behind. Once this starts to accumulate in your gutters leaves and small twigs will become trapped there. These will eventually slow, if not stop, the way the water flows through your gutters. This is why anyone who has an asphalt roof on their home should conduct gutters maintenance every three months (quarterly). You should also consider installing gutter guards that are made of micro mesh or screen to prevent this from happening in the first place.

Don’t Overlook Your Downspouts

While conducting gutters maintenance make sure you also check your downspouts, especially if you have garden beds located near them. When too much water flows from your downspouts and you don’t realize this is happening so you continue watering your plants as normal, you may unintentionally overwater them and cause health issues to them. This could also cause your basement and foundation problems – a few other great reasons to pay attention to your downspouts too.

It’s a good idea to hire the professionals at Done Rite Roofing, Inc to take care of your gutters for you. They will know exactly what to look for and how to fix any issues they come across. Take the guess work out of this household chore and leave it in their more than capable hands. Call them today!s