Fall is coming, and you’re getting your house ready for the chillier part of the year. Raking up leaves, pulling in your outdoor furniture, finishing up your last pressure washing projects before the cold, decorating for the various upcoming holidays- fall is a busy time of year for home maintenance. One thing many homeowners forget to do in all the hustle and bustle is get their gutters cleaned and checked out!
Gutters are a vital part of a home’s support system, however, and as much of a hassle as they can be to care for sometimes, it’s important that you get them taken care of once a year at the very least, preferably in the fall. Here are five reasons why it’s important to not let gutter cleaning fall by the wayside.
1. Clogged Gutters Cause Water Damage
Gutters are designed to carry water away from the home. When they’re full of debris, the water can make it down the spout and spills over the sides again. It goes down the walls and can lead to water damage both inside and outside of the home.
2. Clogged Gutters Can Also Harm Your Roof
Not all clogged rainwater goes down the sides of your home. If your gutters are full, the water trapped in them can pool onto your roof. This can lead to serious moisture damage and rot. In extreme cases, people have had to replace large portions of their roofs due to damage caused by trapped rainwater.
3. Gutter Overflow Can Lead To A Cracked Foundation
The biggest danger of clogged gutters isn’t immediately obvious. As water overflows down the sides of your house, it causes the earth to expand as it saturates the ground. Once the water dries up, the earth contracts back down. The continuing cycle of expansion and contraction in the ground around your home puts stress on your foundation, and in many cases, has led to cracks in the foundation and similar serious damage.
4. Pesky Pests Love Clogged Gutters
Clogged gutters are prime real estate for all kinds of nasty pets. Squirrels, mice, and other small rodents love nestling in the leaves. Insects and spiders also like to burrow and build under the debris as well. Stagnant water trapped in stopped-up gutters is an optimal breeding ground for mosquito larva. All in all, clogged gutters can equal Pest City, right on top of your home.
5. And Now, A Positive- Gutter Cleaning Makes Your Home Look Good And Saves You Money
We’ve talked about the bad things gutter cleaning prevents- now let’s talk about the net positives!
Cleaning out your gutters doesn’t just prevent all that damage we just discussed, but it also makes your home look nice and well-maintained. Gutter cleaning can enhance your curb appeal significantly. This is especially important if you’re thinking of selling your home soon. Clean gutters help a property appear well maintained- definitely a plus for prospective buyers!
Having your gutters properly checked is a good thing, too. When you hire a professional to clean your gutters, it also gives them a chance to check for damage in the gutters you might not see from the ground. If you can catch small cracks and leaks in your gutters and repair them quickly, you can prevent them from growing worse and save yourself a lot of money on potential gutter replacement or roof repairs.
Gutter care is important, even if the reasons why aren’t immediately obvious. Taking the time to get them thoroughly cleaned once or twice a year helps prevent more serious problems down the line and has the added benefit of making your home look better, too. If you’re understandably wary about cleaning your own gutters, hiring a professional to clean them for you is always a good choice. If you need help caring for your gutters, let the pressure washing pros at Cleaner Outlook LLC take on the job!
