Why is Regular Gutter Cleaning So Important?

gutter cleaningThe gutter is easy to overlook, being a part of your home that doesn’t seem to look like much. Yet, it is as vital as every part of your home. Ignoring it can cause different kinds of damages to your home and cost you more money.

Today, Alpine Gutters and Downspouts have listed the following reasons why regular gutter cleaning is important.

It Protects the Value of Your Home

Conducting regular cleaning is important in keeping your home in good shape, protecting its value. A well-maintained gutter can last between 20-30 years before replacing.

This is an advantage and a plus if you plan to sell the property. Putting it in good shape is key to giving it good market value. The next occupants will be happy about this and may thank you for it.

Prevents Roof Damage

Gutters are susceptible to clogging when neglected. Various debris like dried leaves, animal nests, snow, and the like would block off the passageways for water to flow through. This will cause the water to drip to the sides, which can cause your siding to rot. During the winter, ice dams form in your gutters due to the water buildup.

Left unchecked, it will lead to rotting on the roof as well. This leads to the need to replace the tiles and the whole gutter system. Regular gutter cleaning can help prevent such problems.

Prevents Ceiling Leaks

Leaks are among the main problems brought about by clogged gutters. The ice dams that accumulated during winter would have no proper drainage points. The result is water seeping into the house and cause ceiling leaks, wall leaks and moisture in the attic.

There are other areas of the home affected by leaks due to clogged gutters. We’ll get to more on leaks further down.

Prevents Rotted Wood

The accumulated water can cause damages to the wooden portions of the home. The fascia, the wooden board connected to your gutter, is the first one to take damage. Once it shows signs of rot, it could spread towards the adjacent areas, such as the attic.

With regular gutter cleaning, you can prevent this kind of damage. It saves you money from having to replace rotted wood.

Keeps Pests Out

Clogged gutters can serve as breeding grounds for pests. Birds may end up using this as nests for their young.

Mosquitoes breed as long as there is stagnant water for them to nest on, which can leave you exposed to diseases. This is crucial for the safety of your family, especially given how deadly mosquito-related diseases can be.

Other kinds of pests may end up gathering, which could damage the foundation of your home. Gutter cleaning can aid you in keeping these pests out, preventing them from nesting on your gutters.

Prevents Damage to Brackets

A clogged gutter gets subjected to wear and tear if not cleaned. The combined weight brought about by water, debris from leaves and various materials may result in damage to the brackets holding them in place. The worst case scenario is that if it gives way and causes the gutters to fall off.

When that occurs, you have to spend for getting replacements. Regular gutter cleaning prevents this from happening.

Prevents Foundation Damage

A clogged gutter can cause the water to flow elsewhere, seeping into the foundation and further into areas like the basement. This results in rot and mold, which can chip at your foundation. This makes the structure unsteady and it is expensive to repair.

Not only that, weather changes can cause the water to freeze. The resulting expansion and contraction would cause cracks in your foundation and may compromise the structure’s integrity.

An average foundation repair starts at $8,000. Gutter cleaning can prevent the damage from going this far and save you money.

Prevents Basement Leaks

With a clogged gutter, this is an expected result as the water ends up seeping into the home. This water also infiltrates basement walls, eventually finds its way down to the basement itself. The end result is flooding, water damage, and molds.

Prevents Landscape Damage

With a clean and well-maintained gutter, the water has a pathway towards a good drainage area. A clogged gutter will cause the water to overflow towards other areas like the garden bed or the lawn.

While plants flourish with water, over-watering causes the plants to drown. This is the kind of problem introduced by a clogged gutter.

When the plants die, the roots have no capability to keep hold of the soil in place. This leads to soil erosion and would etch at the ground and leave a ditch.

Prevents Sagging Driveways

Driveways are also among the portions of the property that get affected by clogged gutters. With the water overflowing from these gutters, they end up flowing down the driveway, causing it to sag and crack.

It Helps You Save More

The bottom line is that an “ounce of prevention” is better than “a ton of cure”. These kinds of damages are preventable as long as you do proper maintenance. You don’t have to spend so much on repairs when you can mitigate that with scheduled gutter cleaning.

A good suggestion for this is to have your gutters cleaned at least once or twice per year.

You can also conduct regular cleaning personally with a ladder and some gloves. However, safety might be an issue with this depending on your location, on the age of the homeowners, and so on. We at Alpine Gutters and Downspouts have professionals capable of assisting you with gutter cleaning.

Get Your Gutters Cleaned Today!

Having your gutters cleaned is important in keeping your home in great condition. You can do it personally if you have the experience and it is safe enough. You can also call in for a professional to help you with gutter cleaning.

That’s where we at Alpine Gutters and Downspouts come in.

When it comes to gutters and downspouts, we have a wide range of services where we can assist you, including gutter cleaning. Contact us for all your needs for your gutters and downspouts.

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