Learn How to Clean Gutters & Keep Them Clean…
Gutters are great for directing water away from your home, but they also can accumulate leaves and other debris clogging them, making gutter cleaning inevitable. When the debris builds up, it can trap water in the gutter causing it to rust or break away. It can also lead to ice damming which may force you to replace the gutters which costs money.
No matter what you do, it’s a fact of life that your gutters will need to be cleaned at least twice a year if you do not have gutter guards. To prolong the life of gutters, it’s best to clean them of debris in early spring and in the fall. Though you can’t avoid doing it unless you hire someone, you can make the task much easier by following a few tips that keep things cleaner. If you are looking for gutter guard repair or installation, you can also call us here at Eagle Building Solutions.
1. Start With a Thorough Gutter Cleaning
To stay clean, your gutters need to start clean. The most effective gutter cleaning procedure is truthfully the only way to truly clean them: by climbing up a ladder and pull out the debris. You can do this by hand or purchase a special scoop from your local hardware store. Although the scoop will help to keep you cleaner, it isn’t absolutely necessary for gutter cleaning.
You can either bag the dirt you pull from the gutter as you work or drop it onto the ground and rake it up when you’re finished, so choose the method that works best for you. When performing a good gutter and downspout cleaning, be sure to clean any branches, twigs, seed pods, leaves and other debris from the roof before you begin. Anything left on the roof will wash into the clean gutter the next time it rains if you don’t sweep it up.
2. Trim Your Trees to Reduce Gutter Debris
Much of the debris found inside a gutter is composed of decaying leaves, twigs and pine needles that fall from overhanging trees. If this matter builds up in the gutter for a prolonged period of time, it creates a fertile environment for the tree’s falling seeds/ This allows them to germinate and begin growing, using the gutter itself as a makeshift planter.
To avoid this, it is helpful to trim trees back away from the roof and gutter system so that whatever falls from them lands on the ground rather than on your home’s roofing and water drainage systems.
3. Invest in Gutter Guards
Gutter guards and gutter covers come in a variety of styles to fit your specific needs. Some cover part of the roof itself and the gutter with a solid surface, allowing water to run into the gutter underneath them but blocking falling and blowing objects from clogging them up.
Others are installed directly over the gutter and have strategically placed holes that allow water to pass through.
Other types of gutter guards are simply meshed screens built to keep debris and animals like nesting birds out of the structure. Some are hinged to allow you to easily access the gutter for a thorough cleaning when needed.
4. Contact your Local Gutter Company
Perhaps the best way to keep your gutters clean and reduce the amount of time and effort you put into gutter cleaning is by calling a gutter company near you. A trusted contractor like Eagle Building Solutions can help you pick the best guards for your home, but know that any type of gutter covers make it significantly easier to keep your gutters clean.
