Cleaning your gutters is important for a lot of reasons. One of our customers had a new gutter system installed on their home but did not have them cleaned or maintained for several years. The customer lived under a full tree canopy and did not have a leaf protection system. Within a few months, the gutter system was compromised due to weather and seasonal changes.
What Could Happen If You Skip Gutter Cleanings
The gutter system had some clogging and water flow problems and during the cold winter months, the water froze in the gutter which made them very heavy. The increased weight actually pulled the new gutter system off of the house breaking the hangars and the mounts from the fascia board. This costed the customer an investment of $1,500 and could cost up to $3,000 depending on the size of a home. For something as simple as cleaning out gutters, this was a tragedy. Keeping your gutters clean will keep your system functioning while protecting the investment that you paid for.
Another reason problem that can arise from not keeping your gutters cleaned is overflowing of water. If this happens, water can leak behind the gutters onto the fascia board causing them to rot. Water will eventually make its way into your attic and roof.
Failure to Clean Gutters Leads to Overflowing
The overflowing water can also damage the landscape surrounding your home. One of the main reasons people have gutters installed is to keep water out of their yard and off their landscape. Protecting the foundation around your home from water damage and moisture is important.
The appearance of your home is also very important. Overflowing water can leave stains and discoloration on the front of gutters which negatively affects curb appeal.
Maintaining your gutters is the best way of prevent a full gutter replacement. Your gutters can last a long time and work just fine as long as you keep them clean.
How Often You Should Clean Your Gutters
With Gutter Guards
If you have a gutter protection system installed, an annual cleaning should be just fine. The cleaning would preferably be done in the spring.
Without Gutter Guards
If you don’t have gutter protection you need to clean your gutters at least twice a year. The best time to do the two cleanings is in the fall once most of the leaves have fallen and spring right before rain season. This will make sure your system is flowing throughout the summer.
Worst case scenario you clean them once per year. If you are only going to clean them once do it in the spring to make sure things are ready for the rainy season. This is not recommended but if you can only do one cleaning this is the best option.
Should You Clean Your Gutters Thoroughly Every Time?
Cleaning out the bulk of the debris that stops the flow of water is the most important thing. Sediment, shingle grit or gravel in the bottom of the gutter is not what clogs a gutter system or causes them to overflow. They do reduce water capacity but the water still flows. Cleaning everything out or washing the inside of the gutter every time is not as important. If you wash the inside of the gutters about every three to four years, this shouldn’t be a problem. The two regular cleanings per year can be focused on mainly getting rid of debris that cause clogging.
Which Gutter Guard System Requires the Least Maintenance?
We recommend Gutter RX also known as leaf relief or Bulldog. These products are patented and designed to have the absolute lowest maintenance on the market.
Can I Sign Up for a Gutter Cleaning Package that Saves Me Money?
Blue River Gutters offers gutter cleaning packages that can save you up to 30 percent on each cleaning when signed up for annually.