Homeowners spend countless hours doing chores around their homes to maintain safety, functionality, and aesthetics. Could you imagine how rundown our homes would look if we never cut the grass, pressure washed, refreshed our landscaping, or repainted/stained the shutters and trim? Our homes would look abandoned and would be an eyesore.
Along with the above, a home’s gutter system should also be well maintained. If left alone and never cleaned, gutters would be an eyesore, giving the home an unkempt look. Gutters are exposed to the elements and are a home’s first line of defense against drainage issues, so why not clean and care for them?
Unfortunately, some gutter systems aren’t well maintained. What happens to the gutter system when they aren’t? And how can you be sure that you’re maintaining them well? Keep reading for the ultimate guide to cleaning your gutters and about a permanent gutter solution!
The Consequences of Not Cleaning Gutters
When was the last time you cleaned your gutters? As a general rule, gutters should be cleaned at least two times per year, more if trees, especially pines surround the roofline. Cleaning them each spring and fall will help keep them functioning well while lowering the chance of clogged gutters.
There are many consequences to not cleaning your gutter system. Gutter care is paramount to its performance and having it last for many years. If not well maintained, gutter systems would clog. Clogged gutters are not only an eyesore with leaves and other debris hanging over the sides of the gutters but also dangerous.
Half-round gutters, especially ones that are sectional and not seamless, clog often. Leaves, pine needles, roof sediment, and silt find their way inside the gutter since it’s completely exposed. The more debris that finds its way in will block water from flowing through the system, forcing the water to spill over the sides of the gutter. This excess water could lead to foundation damage, a basement leak, damage to the home’s siding, and more.
Another consequence of failing to clean your gutters is that it can sprout trees and weeds. Think about it – a dirty gutter that never is cleaned would have soggy leaves, silt, and tiny seeds from nearby trees and weeds that float and get trapped inside the gutter. All trees and weeds need to grow are those ingredients plus sunlight. Clogged gutters will sprout small trees and weeds, putting excess weight on the gutters and creating an eyesore for the neighborhood.
Failing to clean gutters can also lead to these other consequences:
- Pests inhabiting your gutters
- Structural damage
- Water damage
- Leaks
- Roof damage
- Ice dams
- Wood root
These are just a few of the many risks of neglecting to clean your gutter system.
Gutter Cleaning Guide
Cleaning gutters may seem like a simple task. However, it’s daunting and can take up hours and hours of your time, having to perform the chore multiple times annually. Not cleaning your gutter system isn’t an option. So, how do you properly clean and maintain it? Here’s a quick gutter cleaning guide to help:
Step 1: Gather Necessary Supplies
To start, you’ll need to gather these necessary supplies: a bucket for collecting debris, a tall ladder that can reach your gutters, a scoop for collecting debris, a garden hose, and a plumber’s snake. This is a lot to carry up a high ladder, so proceed cautiously.
Step 2: Remove Debris
Once you have all your supplies, safely scale the ladder and start removing debris inside your gutters. You’ll want to use a scoop to remove large amounts of debris and your hands to remove the rest you can grab. Collect all your debris in the bucket, but be careful climbing up and down the ladder with a heavy bucket.
Step 3: Flush Out the Gutters/Downspouts
After you’ve removed most of the debris inside the gutters, you’ll want to flush out the gutters and downspouts. Take your garden hose, and let the water flow through the gutters and downspouts while it flushes away silt, tiny rocks, and other debris left behind.
While cleaning your gutters seems easy, actually doing it is dangerous. You’ll need to frequently climb up and down the ladder while holding various tools and moving the ladder often along the entire perimeter of your home. This can lead to difficult gutter maintenance, taking up hours of your precious time. There are many risks of gutter cleaning, so use extreme caution.
Permanent Gutter Solutions
If cleaning your gutters twice a year sounds awful, consider installing permanent gutter solutions. At One Stop Home Improvement Shop, we have a permanent gutter solution that will never clog and requires zero maintenance – the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System.
The K-Guard System is seamless, installed in one continuous piece of heavy-duty aluminum, never piece by piece, attaching them with countless bolts and screws. Seamless gutters mean no chance of leaks! K-Guard also has a curved hood that keeps all debris out and only allows water to enter the system through a narrow opening.
The best part about the K-Guard System? You’ll never need to perform difficult gutter maintenance ever again! K-Guard is a permanent gutter solution that allows you to spend time doing other chores or things you enjoy – never clean gutters again!
We also have gutter guards that pair perfectly with our seamless gutter system or on your current gutter system. Our gutters and guards will eliminate the chance for clogs, allowing you to say goodbye to cleaning your gutters.
K-Guard / One Stop Home Improvement Shop has been installing gutter systems for decades with tens of thousands of happy customers in Lynchburg and surrounding areas. We’d love to help you avoid erosion from gutters by installing our seamless gutters or K-Guard Gutters. Contact us today for a free estimate!
