5 Tips Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Keeping Their Gutters in Top Shape

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Just kidding, it’s gutter cleaning time. We know, no one enjoys this task, but it has to be done if you don’t want to risk damage to your home. If you’re like most of us and want to make your life easier when it comes to this process, then you have come to the right article. We have gathered 5 essential tips that every homeowner needs to know about keeping their gutters in the best shape possible in order to minimize the amount of work you have to do when it comes time to clean. Let’s get going!

1. Gutters need to be thoroughly cleaned twice a year. Each autumn and spring, the leaves and twigs and such will become a bigger problem than usual. That makes these seasons ideal for deep cleans, as it will keep the gutters from getting overly clogged. The best times are in early spring and late autumn. Something to look into getting as an add-on for your rain gutters is drain covers, which help minimize the amount of debris that makes it into the gutter and downspouts. When cleaning your gutters, you can opt to do it yourself or hire professionals. If you decide to take care of it yourself, be sure to work with a partner. They will help stabilize your ladder, and they can also help with cleanup as you toss down all the gunk onto the tarp.
2. Regular checkups are needed to check for any issues. Gutters, no matter what material they’re made of, will eventually start to show signs of wear and tear. Getting a professional to come out regularly to do inspections will help to catch any problems before they can cause serious damage. If you do end up needing to repair or even replace your rain gutters, bear in mind that this will not come cheap. There’s a probability that if your gutters need replacing, there will be damage to the home, as well. This could range from foundation damage, basement flooding, or mold in the outer walls. All of this is part of why those regular inspections are so important, to keep that from happening and save you the nightmare of home repairs and expensive renovations.
3. Another note on seasonal things to be aware of is that cleaning out your gutters before a cold snap is a smart thing to do. The reason for this is the fact that water expands when it freezes. If there are leaves and other debris in the gutters when that happens, then there is a very likely chance that your gutters could break from the pressure. This could mean the gutters themselves from that expansion, or the hangers breaking from too much weight. You also aren’t likely to enjoy scraping frozen leaves and twigs out of your gutters in the freezing cold. If you keep an eye on the weather and take preemptive action, then you should be fine.
4. Keep the landscaping in check. The biggest challenge for your gutters is the surrounding trees, so taking the time to trim back any branches that may hang over your roof or gutters will go a long way to help limit the leaves and debris that fall or get swept in. This will hopefully also help with the pollen around your home because that can mix with any water and create essentially a sludge that will build up in your gutters. If you are designing your home’s landscaping and know that certain trees pose a high risk of pollen, then look into alternatives if you don’t want that headache.
5. Do a critter check. This is a big thing to take care of in the spring. Your gutters can make a lovely home for all sorts of pests over time. Birds will build their nests in the downspouts, bees or other angry buzzing creatures will build their nests on the underside, termites will hide around the edges, etc. Going through and taking care of these types of issues when you do your springtime gutter cleaning will help keep the problem from becoming a hazard to your family or your home.

Now that you’ve learned these key tips for maintaining your gutters, it’s time to make sure that you are putting them into play. There are obviously other things that you should be doing to take care of your gutters for your home, but these are some of the big ones. Take these suggestions to heart and make sure that you are taking good care of your gutters. They put in a whole lot of work around your home, protecting it from damage, so you need to return the favor. Now get out there and happy cleaning!