Gutters are a necessary part of your home’s well-being. They drain rainwater protecting your home’s walls, landscape, roof, and foundation. Frequent gutter cleaning is needed to keep debris at bay. If you neglect your gutter, allowing debris to accumulate, you may damage your roof, and your home’s interior or exterior. A clogged gutter is also a habitat for rodents, honeycombs, pests, and mold. Neglecting your gutter will ultimately cost you much, to the tunes of thousands of dollars. Let us delve into the dos and don’ts of gutter cleaning:
Frequency of cleaning
How frequently you clean your gutters is mainly determined by two factors: where you live, and the number of trees in your yard. How often leaves in your region fall and even the type of leaves are also ways to judge how frequently you need to clean your gutters. Ideally, you should clean your gutters every four months. This depends on the tree climate. If you are in a high-yield environment, you need to do it more often.
Seasons
Gutter cleaning is best done in the spring and fall. In the autumn, all the leaves are down (or almost down).
Professional cleaning
It is best to have a professional to clean the gutters and downspouts too. If the downspout is clogged, rainwater backs up, overflowing the gutter. This may damage your home. Cleaning gutters can be dangerous. The Consumer Products Safety Commission reported 240,000 falls from ladders which were emergency cases.
Before you climb a ladder, ensure that all the steps are in good condition. The ladder also needs to be sturdy. Climb the first steps to make sure that you are standing on level ground. If the soil is soft, place plywood under the ladder’s legs. Do not rest the ladder on the gutters themselves. The additional weight may damage them.
Better still, a professional knows what he is looking for. It is easy to spot the problem and stop it.
Gutter covers
One way to decrease the number of times you clean your gutter is by using leaf guards. They do not eliminate the need for cleaning entirely. Instead of the usual 4 to 6 months, if the gutters have leaf guards, you can clean them once in 3 years. The quality of the cover, the type, and quantity of trees will affect the frequency of cleaning.
A visual check is necessary at least once a year, even if you do have gutter covers. Up to 15 to 20% of debris can still get into your gutter, despite having a leaf cover. The leaf cover must be of high quality, to hold up against the types of trees around your home. You can get a gutter cover for between $1,500 to $2,500, depending on the length of the gutters and the size of the home.
Cleaning gutters cost
The average cost of professional gutter cleaning is between $75 and $225. It all varies depending on the portion of the gutters, scope of work, and the height of the home. Most local roofing contractors in North Carolina charge a flat fee per foot of gutter.
All in All
The importance of gutter cleaning cannot be underestimated. The above factors will help you determine the frequency of cleaning, and whether you will allow a professional to handle the cleanup.