Your home’s gutters are a part of your home that’s easy to forget, but they are essential in preventing water damage to your home and surrounding property. A working gutter system collects rain, stormwater, and melting snow and pulls it away from your home, and directs it to a safe place. Without working gutters your home runs the risk of damage to the foundation, damage to your home’s exterior, and possible damage (such as erosion or trenches) to your yard and surrounding property. Lindab Gutters are very useful and can protect your home from water during the rainy parts of the year and from melting snow and ice during the colder parts of the year. However, like other parts of your home, your gutters can require maintenance such as cleaning.
Cleaning Your Gutters
When you ask how often do I need to clean my gutters the answer is roughly twice a year with certain variables to keep in mind. If you have a lot of trees on your property, especially near your roof, then you may need to clean your gutters far more often. In colder environments that get snow during the fall and winter your gutters can also encounter ice dams causing them to become blocked and require they be cleaned out before any damage is caused.
The Dangers of Clogged Gutters
While cleaning your gutters is not the most enjoyable way to spend an afternoon leaving them unattended can cause many problems. Clogged gutters can cause water to back up on your roof and can lead to pooling which can cause damage to your roof shingles, lead to leaks, and cause mold or rot if the water leaks into your home. If your gutters are blocked by ice dams they are weighed down and this extra weight can cause them to bend or in extreme cases pull away from the home which can cause damage to not only the gutters but the side of your home and the roof depending on how your gutters are installed.
Traditional gutters are not just prone to clogging they are also exposed to other natural hazards. Open gutters can easily be damaged by falling tree limbs and pest infestations. For example, pests animals can live in exposed gutters and clogging can lead to standing water that attracts certain insects. The most common types of pests animals that can live in your gutters include mice, mosquitoes, bees, and birds. Pest animals not only reduce the effectiveness of your gutters they can also be dangerous as some pests carry disease and many people are allergic to insect stings.
Reducing Cleaning Needs
While gutters perform an essential need cleaning them is not a task most homeowners enjoy. This is why covered gutters such as the K-Guard Gutter System can be a practical addition to your home. Covered gutters don’t require regular cleaning because debris doesn’t collect in the gutter system. Covered gutter systems while being guarded against leaves, twigs, and other debris don’t block water and water easily flows through your gutter system without any issues. In addition, covered gutters offer an additional level of protection as the guards prevent pests from getting into the gutter system or nesting.
Final Thoughts
Your home’s gutters provide a very useful function in terms of protecting your home and property from the elements. However, regular cleaning can be time-consuming or involve additional expenses if you hire professionals to do the job. Replacing your existing gutters with covered gutters allows you to keep your home safe while reducing cleaning and upkeep needs. Covered gutters are also complete systems designed to handle any water issues quickly and efficiently.
