DIY Gutter Cleaning: Tips and Tricks for Homeowners

 

Have you started your spring cleaning yet? Spring is the perfect time to tackle those outdoor projects you’ve been meaning to get done all fall and winter but haven’t had the chance to thanks to the cold and unpredictable winter weather. It’s the perfect time of year to work outdoors when the weather is warming up and the humidity is unbearable.

What spring cleaning tasks are on your list? Most likely pressure washing the exterior, staining the deck, and upgrading your landscaping. Something that should be on your spring cleaning list is to clean the gutters and for good reason. Why is cleaning your gutters so important, and how can you DIY it? Keep reading to learn more!

 

Why is Cleaning Gutters Important?

This is a question we get a lot here at K-Guard / One Stop Home Improvement Shop – why is gutter cleaning so important? We could go on and on about this subject since we’re so passionate about the importance of clean gutters, but instead, we’ll focus on just a few reasons why it’s so important:

 

Dirty Gutters Lead to Poor Gutter Performance

Gutters work with our roofs, soffit, and fascia to help prevent drainage issues and keep our homes drier. Without a gutter system, our homes wouldn’t be as dry, and other home components like the fascia boards and siding would suffer.

 

Ideally, a well-maintained gutter would collect the water from a roof, carry it through the gutters to the downspouts, and divert the water away from the home’s foundation. Unfortunately, dirty gutters prevent water from flowing through to the downspouts and being diverted away from the foundation. When a gutter system has excess amounts of debris, it leads to poor gutter performance that could cause damage to your home.

 

Clogged Gutters Cause Damage

Failing to clean your gutters often can result in extensive and costly damage to your home. It’s no secret that unkept home components will eventually cause damage to other parts, and gutters are no exception. Clogged gutters cause damage to your soffit and fascia, siding, landscaping, roof, and even structural damage like cracks in the foundation.

 

Failing to Clean Gutters Lessens their Lifetime

Did you know gutters that aren’t cleaned often have a shorter lifespan? Just like any other home component, performing routine maintenance prolongs its lifespan, but if you fail to maintain it, its lifespan is shorter.

The average gutter system can last anywhere from 10 to 20 years, depending on the quality of the gutter system, gutter material, and if it’s properly cared for. If you don’t clean your gutters, all that debris weighs the system down, creating sagging gutters, overflowing gutters, and extreme clogs that impede water flow. If you don’t clean your gutters, you can expect to replace them much sooner than you’d like.

 

DIY Gutter Cleaning Tips & Tricks

If you’ve been a homeowner for years, hopefully, you’ve cleaned your gutters or hired a professional gutter cleaning service. If not, there’s no better time to start than spring before Central Virginia’s rainy season gets farther along and when summer humidity strikes. Luckily, DIYing gutter cleaning is easy, but it’s time-consuming and can be dangerous.

 

Before you start cleaning your gutters, ask yourself if you’re comfortable climbing up and down a tall ladder with a bucket and scoop and moving it around the entire perimeter of your roofline. If you’re uncomfortable using a tall ladder, ask a friend or family member for help or hire a professional gutter cleaning service like K-Guard / One Stop Home Improvement Shop. Our gutter cleaning service is the best in and around Lynchburg, with a deep clean that’ll get your gutters working optimally.

 

If you feel comfortable and want to DIY clean the gutters, use extreme caution since you’ll need to scale the ladder while holding some tools, and again when you climb down the ladder. As you clean your gutters, follow these DIY gutter-cleaning tips and tricks:

 

• If you’re uncomfortable using a ladder, try a paint roller with an extension handle long enough to reach your gutters – it should push debris out

• Use a plumber’s snake to remove leaves in the downspout

• A leaf blower can easily blow leaves trapped inside the gutter

• Choose a sturdy scoop to remove leaves, twigs, acorns, and other debris

• Clean your gutters at least twice per year

 

Remember to use caution when using a ladder and cleaning your gutters.

Gutter Solutions That Never Need Cleaning

Do you want to clean your gutters multiple times per year? They can never seem to stay clean for long, especially here in Lynchburg, where we have evergreens, pines, and all four seasons with severe weather. Below are some gutter solutions that never need cleaning:

 

Seamless Gutters & Guards

Seamless gutters and guards work together to keep debris out of your gutter system and help prevent clogged gutters, keeping your gutters clean. At K-Guard / One Stop Home Improvement Shop, our seamless gutters and guards are guaranteed clog-free while helping to extend roof life.

 

Our seamless gutters are made of a continuous piece of heavy-duty aluminum, eliminating the need for the gutter system to be installed in sections, each one fastened with plenty of bolts and screws. Sectional gutters often trap debris between the seams, forming clogs that prevent water from draining from your roof and flowing through the system, resulting in roof damage, among other issues.

 

The K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System

Another advanced gutter system that’s permanent and never needs cleaning is the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System. The K-Guard System is a complete system with multiple components that work together to keep debris like leaves and pine needles out so water can flush through the system quickly. With its innovative curved hood and seamless design, K-Guard prevents all debris from entering the gutters, ensuring no clogs can form. 

If your home needs gutters installed or you need to replace your existing gutters and want to wave goodbye to gutter cleaning, consider installing seamless gutters and guards or the K-Guard System from K-Guard / One Stop Home Improvement Shop. 

We’ve been installing and repairing gutter systems for decades with tens of thousands of happy customers in Lynchburg and surrounding areas. We can help with all your home improvement needs, whether you need help with an insurance claim or a quote for installing a new roof or gutter system. We’re here to help every step of the way throughout the entire process. Contact us today for a free estimate!