“If you’re not taking care of your gutters, you’re not taking care of your roof.”
We say this to any and every customer who cares to listen. If you’re serious about extending your roof’s lifespan, you have to pay close attention to your gutters. Your gutters drain excess water away from your home and roof. When they’re backed up, they could cause you a lot of issues.
Follow the tips below to keep your gutters clean and clutter-free.
Do It Regularly
According to roofing experts, you should clean your gutters at least twice a year. If your roof has overhanging branches, we recommend cleaning your gutters more often – roughly every three months. Overhanging branches speed up your gutters’ debris buildup, so you must be vigilant.
Cleaning your gutters helps limit your chances of dealing with a water-damaged roof. Don’t forget, moisture buildup is a gradual process and each day you put off cleaning your gutters could be costlier in the long run.
Get Your Hands Dirty
Although you can clean your gutters from below, we recommend that you get up there to see what’s really going on. Of course, we recommend that you use a sturdy, extendable ladder when cleaning your gutters. In fact, make sure you use a ladder stabilizer to be extra safe.
When you’re up there, take a good look at the debris. If you’ve got a lot of solid debris in the gutter, take it out with your hands. Make sure you’re wearing two pairs of gloves – one pair of rubber gloves under your work ones. This will protect your hands from any sharp debris you pick up.
Some homeowners prefer to blast it out of their gutters with a leaf blower. However, we recommend protecting your lawn and landscaping with a tarp if that’s what you’d like to do.
Account for the Weather & Season
For obvious reasons, you probably shouldn’t clean your gutters if it rained the other night. Give the debris a couple of days to dry out first. This makes the cleaning process much easier. You should also avoid cleaning your gutters on windy days.
That’s unless you have a tarp to catch any debris that lands on your lawn. We also recommend that you clean your roof during early spring and fall, this ensures that your gutters can drain heavy rains during the spring and summer.
Consult with an Experienced Roofer
Getting your gutters cleaned by an experienced, fully licensed roofer could be your best bet. With Regions on the job, not only would you get all the gunk out of your gutters, but we’d also tell you which sections from your gutters need to be repaired or replaced.
Given our 30 years of combined experience as roofers, we can advise you on the best course of action for any problems your gutters may be giving you.
Click this link to schedule a FREE inspection with us.