Hire a Professional to Clean Your Gutters to Protect Your Home

The point of your gutters is to carry water off your roof and away from your home. They play a vital role in protecting your home from water damage – and they need to be regularly maintained. 

Gutters are a catch-all.

• Wind will blow debris into them. 
• Rain will carry debris from the roof into them. 
• Birds and rodents will build nests in them.

What does make it through….can (WILL) clog elbows and downspouts.

At some point, without inspecting and cleaning them, you’ll end up with a problem. That water they were supposed to move away from your roof and foundation now collects in them. 

• Mosquitoes can breed.
• Water will work its way under the edge of the roof beneath the shingles.
• Water will overflow damaging fascia boards.
• Excess weight in the gutters will further affect their ability to function and cause damage. 

All of this (and other issues) can be prevented with some simple, routine maintenance done properly.

Skip the gimmicks

Gutter guards, regardless of the brand or design, may help, but they will not eliminate the need for cleaning. They can end up making it more difficult too.

A robot? We don’t get this one at all. Sorry. A robot may do a decent job cleaning your floors…..but not your gutters.

• You still need a ladder….how else does it get in and out of the gutters?
• How does it get under the hangers? Doesn’t look like it will fit!
• How does it clean the downspouts? They clog too! If anything, it seems like it will clog them by pushing the debris down.
• After it throws all of the debris everywhere….you need to clean up….and that includes cleaning your roof which will result in the debris back in the gutters!

How gutters should be cleaned

• We start any gutter cleaning looking at the roof. There is no point cleaning your gutters if there is a significant amount of debris on your roof. It’s only going to end up in the gutters afterward. That’s not fair to our customers. If the roof needs cleaning – that will need to be done first.

• Cleaning the gutters starts with removing as much built up material manually. Large piles of leaves, twigs, etc get cleaned out rather than flushed down the downspouts. While we’re doing this, we’re inspecting the gutters for separation from the fascia, missing or bent hangers and other obvious damage.

• Once the bigger debris is removed, we’ll use a pressure washer to flush the gutters and downspouts. This removes the small, loose debris we cannot get by hand. Any water pooling will show us where the gutters have sagged and if they are draining properly.
  
  If repairs are needed, we’ll get those done once the work is approved.

• We’ll verify your downspouts are clear and flowing properly, not leaking, and diverting water away from the foundation. Again, repairs will be made if necessary.

• Prior to leaving, we clean up. That may seem like an obvious step, but it’s often forgotten. 

DIY or Professional

Gutter cleaning isn’t technical. It doesn’t require much experience or knowledge to clean gutters. Anyone can climb a ladder, scoop out the debris, and flush them with a hose. 

But, there are risks. 

“Ladder falls are a leading cause of accidental injury and death.” – Invictus Law, May 2020.

When they are wet and covered with debris, the risk of falls increases. 

There are other ways to get hurt. It’s not uncommon to find bees and other insects in gutters. There could be dislodged nails among the debris. Aluminium gutters can be sharp on the edges. 

It’s not only the injury risk. You could damage the gutters. Using a hose or pressure washer means the risk of driving water into places you don’t want it. 

What about repairs?

Part of our process entails inspection and repair. If you are doing this yourself, do you know what to look for in the way of damage? Do you have the tools and ability to make necessary repairs? 

We’ve encountered a number of situations where “less than professional” cleanings and repairs had been done in the past. That led to clogs and cleaning sooner than expected as well as additional repairs. 

Having your gutters professionally cleaned saves time, eliminates risk, and ensures any issues found are noted and repaired properly. 

Clean your gutters

Even if you choose to do it yourself, clean your gutters at least twice a year. They are an important element to protecting your home from water damage. 

If you’d like to hire a professional, schedule your inspection and cleaning today.