Rainwater that falls onto your roof is collected through your home’s gutter system. The water flows through a channel, down a downspout and is directed some distance from your home’s foundation. One area that homeowners are typically neglectful of is gutter cleaning. It is important to understand the importance of a clean gutter and why your gutter system must be maintained.
The Importance Of Cleaning Your Gutters
Gutters are supposed to be the track through which water flows and easily drains off your roof. Normally, the water should flow far away from your house. This is to prevent waterlogging around your home’s foundation and avoid structural damage. Water can only flow properly when you have clean gutters.
Many homeowners admit to not paying attention to the condition of their gutters. Perhaps they are unaware of the importance of a clean gutter. When you routinely clean your gutters, you are less likely to have problems caused by a faulty or damaged gutter system.
Here are some important reasons why you should clean your gutter system regularly..
#1 It Keeps Unwanted Guests Away
The presence of unwanted animals, bugs and birds is a common issue with clogged gutters. As debris and organic material such as berries, twigs and leaves clog your gutters, pests and insects may begin to flock to those clogged areas. The presence of these materials attracts insects and other pests to, in and around your home.
For instance, carpenter ants and termites can start feasting on your clogged gutters. This can pose a great risk to the structural integrity of your house. This is because carpenter ants and termites chew, damaging your wood fascia and other structures in and around your home very quickly.
This not only affects your house and gutter system, but the problem can be difficult to fix once it happens. The best solution in this case is to call an exterminator. Hiring an exterminator to control pest infestations can be very costly. A cheaper and more proactive solution is to hire a professional gutter cleaning service to help maintain your gutters in the first place.
#2 It Prevents Gutter Damage
The combination of clogged downspouts and sagging gutters can quickly damage your gutter system. Your gutter system will start to sag if there is too much weight on any of its components. When that happens, water will not flow properly, affecting the integrity of your gutter. The best thing you can do in this situation is to fix the affected area of the gutter. However, you may have to completely replace your gutters if the damage has become irreparable. This option is very costly and can take a lot of time to complete. You can prevent this by hiring gutter cleaning services and conducting thorough and routine home maintenance inspections. This ensures the longevity of your gutters, and you will not have to worry about carrying out expensive repairs down the road.
The most cost-effective method of managing your gutter system is to maintain your current one. You can save money when you clean and maintain your gutters because you won’t have to worry about fixing or replacing a damaged gutter system.
#3 It Prevents Water Damage
You must always try to avoid water damage when it comes to your home. Sagging or collapsing gutters can result in structural damage, foundation damage, roof leaks and other serious problems with your roof. When your gutter system is clean, it will properly drain water away from your home. This prevents the buildup of water on the fascia boards. Moreover, you must address water buildup on the fascia boards themselves. This is to prevent shingle damage that may result in expensive roof repair or replacement. The best thing you can do is make sure the water is flowing freely and cannot infiltrate into the parts of your house that need to be protected.
The buildup of mildew and mold is another consequence of water damage. Both of these elements pose a health risk and can be difficult to get rid of. You will have to hire a professional to help maintain your gutter once you find mold and/or mildew there.
#4 It Ensures Proper Water Flow
Stagnant water can cause damage inside and outside of your home. This can be due to improper water flow off of your roof. You might observe water overflowing over the edges of your gutter guards after a rainstorm if your drainage system isn’t functioning properly. This can cause your roof to leak, and some parts of your home’s landscaping can be damaged. Any foliage or structure located underneath is at risk once the water begins to improperly build up and pour over. Your water flow systems will remain in good condition when your gutters are clean. Your home and the surrounding landscape will also stay in good condition.
#5 It Maintains The Value Of Your Home
One of the biggest investments you will ever make is having a home. Maintaining it can be difficult at times, but you must clean your gutters during regular home maintenance. Long-term consequences and future issues are avoided when your gutter system is clean.
Just like many homeowners, you can hire a professional to help clean your gutter system if you do not feel comfortable doing it. This is often the best option as these experts are better equipped and will be able to detect issues that need repair better than you can. Additionally, gutter cleaners will complete the job efficiently and quickly.
It is also important that you perform regular gutter maintenance especially if you live in an area with lots of trees. There are many benefits of cleaning your gutter if you want a more carefree home-owning experience.
Summary:
A crucial component of home upkeep is gutter cleaning. This is because having functioning gutters will prevent you from experiencing damage-causing problems. If you ignore your gutters, you could experience far greater issues in the future. Therefore, you should clean your gutter regularly or hire gutter cleaners to get the job done for you. For gutter cleaning, call Born Carpentry at 612-747-8003.
