Scheduling some spring cleaning? Don’t forget your home’s gutters.
After winter, you’re most likely drawing up a to-do list for your spring cleaning.
One task that is often overlooked during post-winter exterior cleaning is a home’s gutters.
A gutter performs a vital function for your home: directing water away from it, preventing unnecessary moisture coming into your house. Ideally, gutter cleaning should be scheduled at least twice a year—once after winter and another one at the start of fall.
When leaves and other debris accumulate inside a gutter, it cannot perform its main function and water can overflow from it instead of going down to the downspout. When this happens, the water can wind its way to the landscaping—or worse, to the foundation of your home. When this happens, you may have to spend a significant amount of money toward repairs.
After winter, a substantial amount of water, in the form of ice, may form inside the gutter. These ice dams can be quite heavy and weigh down the gutter leading to damage, not only to it but also to the roof.
But why should you schedule your gutter cleaning after winter and at the start of fall? Cleaning at the start of fall is highly recommended because generally speaking, the leaves are dry, making it easier for you to remove these. Also, at this time, rainwater can freely flow through the gutter. Scheduling gutter cleaning after spring is recommended as it allows you to prepare for the rainfall usually associated with spring.
Can’t you schedule your gutter cleaning—say, perhaps during summer? While no one will stop you from doing so, take note that cleaning gutters under the intense heat of the summer sun is no fun. Also, scheduling gutter cleaning during summer may mean that your gutter has accumulated too much debris and leaves by that time.
Of course, the pre- and post-winter gutter cleaning schedule is just a rule of thumb. In some circumstances, you may have to clean your gutter more than twice, especially if you have several trees on your property.
Apart from cleaning the gutter, you also have to make it a habit to check its condition in order to ascertain whether it needs some fixing or a complete replacement.
Gutter cleaning can take a lot of time and effort. Plus, you will require the use of a few tools and equipment like ladders and safety gear. If you do not have much time or if you do not have the required gear for the task, consider hiring professionals to do the job for you.