The beautiful and colorful transition between the sweltering heat of summer and the frigid cold of winter welcome home adorned with pumpkins, cornstalks, scarecrows, and… gutters full of fall foliage. While most homeowners tend to look down and notice their lawn, sidewalks, and fall decor, they do not catch the red, orange, and brown leaves piling up and spilling out of their gutter system. When left unattended, this beautiful fall foliage can be the culprit of tens of thousands of dollars in damage to your home. This means… It is time for a thorough gutter cleaning.
Clean Gutters Lead to Saving Thousands on Home Maintenance
Clogged gutters have been the underlying causes of thousands of dollars in interior and exterior renovation costs on everything from full roof replacement to ruined landscaping. Water is crucial to sustaining every species of flora and fauna on earth, but the result of excess H20 in places where it does not belong can be devastating.
Roof Damage
Water coming into repeated contact with the wood underneath the shingles, asphalt, or metal roofing absorbs water, swells, and leads to interior leaks onto ceilings, mold, and mildew in attic spaces. To mediate this type of damage often requires the removal of the protective layer, cutting out the water-damaged wood, replacing it, and reattaching or replacing the shingles.
If you leave fall foliage in your gutter system through the snowy winter months, ice damming can occur. Ice dams form when snow partially melts and runs to the gutter system, but it stops by the debris and instantly refreezes. This excess weight puts tremendous pressure on a roofing system. Moreover, it has a good potential to damage or collapse the roof.
Crumbling Foundation
If water spilling out of the gutters erodes the earth near your home’s foundation, water absorbs through the stone or concrete and drastically reduces the structural integrity of the foundation. In many cases, homeowners end up with flooded basements and foundations that chip and crack. As a result, it leaves your home extremely vulnerable.
Exterior Surface Decay and Staining
Water that is not channeled away from your home can run down the siding, paint, stucco, brick, or any other exterior surface of your home, and it decays over time. That leaves the perfect means for rodents to enter, not to mention the visual staining that occurs.
Landscape Erosion
Plants, mulch, stone, and other types of landscaping features cost a pretty penny to install. However, when water pools in your home’s flowerbeds, it can kill your plants and wash away that pricy material ― and there goes your curb appeal.
Damaged Gutter System
Gutters are designed to guide water away from your home to reduce any type of water damage. However, when debris from fallen leaves has a chance to accumulate, it can cause damage to your gutter system as well. Caught early, a well-reputed gutter cleaning company like Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning can both clean your gutters and make necessary repairs. If left to the elements for longer periods, the situation may warrant a complete gutter replacement.
Create a Gutter Cleaning Maintenance Plan
Professionals suggest cleaning your gutters thoroughly two times per year. The best time to put a little elbow grease into your drainage system is after most spring storms have passed to rid your gutters of the twigs and branches. Clean them again in the late fall after all the fall foliage has settled. Maintaining your gutters before all the autumn leaves have fallen may leave you dragging out your ladder again a month later — cleaning them out again in preparation for winter.
According to home maintenance and repair expert, Bob Vila, grab your ladder, gloves, a scooping device, safety gloves, and your hose to get those gutters ready for winter. Scoop out all the twigs, leaves, and dirt from the gutters. Then hose the remaining gunk out while checking to ensure there are no clogged areas in the gutter lines or downspouts. When it comes to fall clean up, hiring professionals like Cleanr for cleaning your gutters is a smart choice to ensure thorough and efficient maintenance of your home.
Expert Gutter Cleaning Companies Can Come to the Rescue
If you are not well-versed in home maintenance, have a demanding job, or just value time with family, you may consider hiring out your twice-yearly gutter cleaning chore. Research the gutter cleaning companies in your area and choose a company that focuses on a customer-first mentality, promotes continuous gutter technician training, and is fully insured to work on your home. They can complete the task in a fraction of the time with the most effective equipment, highly practiced skills, and a commitment to the safety of themselves and your home.
