Keeping your gutters clean is an important part of home maintenance, but often overlooked. Knowing how often to clean your gutters and what steps to take to maintain them is essential, especially if wet weather is on the horizon.
This blog post will explore the benefits of regular gutter cleaning, why more frequent cleaning may be necessary for certain areas, and some tips for keeping your gutters in good shape.
The Benefits Of Regular Gutter Cleaning
Attending to your gutters is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can perform on your home. Gutters keep your home dry and healthy and prevent water from seeping into your home’s foundation, walls and roof.
Regular gutter cleaning will ensure debris is kept at bay allowing for a good flow of rainwater away from your home. Well-maintained gutters can help prevent costly home repairs down the line.
Why Should Gutter Cleaning Be Done Regularly?
There are many reasons why homeowners should undertake gutter regularly. Firstly, gutters help keep your home dry by catching rainwater, preventing water damage both inside and outside the house. Additionally, gutters can catch dust, animal droppings, and other debris, preventing them from being blown into your home by the wind.
What Are The Benefits Of Regular Guttering Cleaning?
Beyond simply keeping your home healthy and dry, keeping your gutters well-maintained also has definite benefits that go beyond just property protection:
- Reduced home maintenance bills: One of the biggest benefits of clean gutters is the reduced need for other home maintenance services such as roofing repairs or window washing/cleaning. When gutters are kept clean, any debris – large or small – that falls into them is regularly removed and unable to build up and cause problems.
- Safer for your family: Blocked gutters can flood drains, creating potentially dangerous conditions for young children or pets.
- Improved curb appeal: Clogged gutters are an eyesore and can detract from the overall appearance of your home. Regular gutter cleaning will keep them looking spick and span and increase your home’s curb appeal.
Factors Influencing How Often You May Need to Clean Your Gutters
While the general rule of thumb for gutter cleaning is twice a year, several factors can influence how often you need to clean your gutters. These include:
- Location: If you live in an area with dense foliage, fallen leaves and debris will likely build up more quickly than in other areas. In these conditions, you may need to clean your gutters as often as every two months.
- Weather: If you live in a region prone to wet weather, gutter cleaning may be needed more frequently to ensure rainwater can always escape. Additionally, suppose there’s been recent heavy winds or hail. In that case, additional debris may have built up, and your gutters will require checking.
- Age and condition of your gutters: Older gutters may need cleaning more often than newer ones, as they’re more likely to develop blockage issues.
Cleaning Your Gutters Safely and Effectively
Gutter cleaning doesn’t have to be a dangerous or difficult job. Here are some tips for cleaning your gutters safely and effectively:
- Wear protective clothing: When you’re up on a ladder, it pays to be safe. Wear gloves, safety glasses and sturdy footwear to keep yourself protected.
- Use a ladder stabiliser: When using an extension ladder, use one to secure it against the wall and avoid slipping.
- Remove debris by hand: If possible, try to remove any large clumps of leaves or branches by hand. This will help you get into hard-to-reach areas more easily as well.
- Flush out the gutters: Flush out your gutters with a hose or bucket of water to remove any smaller debris. Ensure you also check for leaks and note any repairs needed.
- Check the downpipes, too: don’t forget to clear any leaves or blockages from the downpipes. A clogged downpipe can lead to water overflowing out of the gutters and causing potential damage to your home’s structure.
Always use caution when cleaning out your gutters. Falls from high levels can be dangerous, particularly if they occur during peak rainfall seasons. Professional gutter cleaners can do the task quickly and easily if you’re uncomfortable doing it. They’d also be able to give you any advice on how often your gutters should be cleaned, install a gutter guard and can carry out simple repairs if needed.
Tips For Maintaining Your Gutters
Now you’re aware of the importance of cleaning your gutters and how often you should do this, here are some additional tips to help keep your roof and gutter in good condition:
- Invest in a gutter guard system: installing a quality gutter protection system will help reduce debris entering your gutters.
- Trimming any nearby trees: avoiding overhanging foliage is a big factor in gutter maintenance.
- Check your gutters regularly: regular inspections can help identify any potential problems before they become major issues.
- Clean your gutters before and after the wet season: taking care of them ahead of a predicted wet season will help ensure they are in good working order for the rain. Checking again after the rains is also recommended to remove debris that may have come with wind and rain.
- Get professional help if necessary: if you’re uncomfortable cleaning your gutters yourself or find that they require regular deep cleanings, it may be time to explore dedicated gutter cleaning services in your area.
Eco Earth Plumbing Can Assist
At Eco Earth Plumbing, we understand the importance of keeping your gutters clean and free of debris for optimal performance. When your gutters aren’t regularly maintained, debris and leaves build up over time, leading to blockages, drainage problems and damage to your home.
First and foremost, make sure that you have a proper and well-functioning drainage system in place to help prevent blockages from occurring in the first place. Your gutters need somewhere the runoff water can go without overflowing or causing other issues.
If the time has come for you to get your gutters cleaned, and you need drainage support or just some advice, contact Eco Earth Plumbing on 0404 023 023 today. Our fully insured and experienced team can help keep water away from your home to protect it from water damage.