Gutters are important to the overall health of our homes. They ensure rainwater doesn’t get trapped under roof shingles and they collect runoff dirt and debris. Without gutters, our homes are susceptible to erosion and rot. To ensure your gutters are in proper working order so this doesn’t happen, it’s important to regularly have your gutters cleaned. Here are the top 5 reasons to clean your gutters this fall.
1. Falling Leaves
The first and most obvious reason fall is a great time to schedule a gutter cleaning is the falling leaves that arrive once temperatures start to drop. Fall in Canada is a beautiful time full of changing leaves, but once those leaves have gone from green to orange to brown, they fall off of trees and into your gutters.
Dry leaves in your gutters won’t cause much of a problem. The issues begin once the first heavy rainstorm of fall hits. This causes your gutters to become clogged with soggy leaves, making the rain unable to drain properly. If the rain cannot drain, your gutters will overflow and the water could cause damage to the sides of your home, soffits, fascia, basements and foundation.
Your gutters can also be damaged by pooling water that has nowhere to go. After some time the water can begin to eat away at the gutter materials which can cause leaks and holes. This is not an easy fix and will more often than not end up requiring new gutters completely.
2. Maintenance Matters
As you will quickly learn from this list, a lot of big problems can be solved with small amounts of maintenance. Replacing gutters on your entire home is not cheap. This is why taking the time to do regular maintenance is so important. Putting in the effort now will save you time and money in the future.
Where you live will determine how often you need to clean your gutters. An easy rule of thumb to go by is that the more trees around your home, the more often you will have to clean your gutters. If there are large trees that shed their leaves every fall near your home, you can expect lots of leaves and other tree debris to end up in your gutters. However, if you live in a pretty clear area you may only need to have your gutters cleaned once a year.
The types of trees may affect the number of cleanings you need. It’s common for leafy trees to shed in the fall which is why fall is an essential time to book a gutter cleaning. If the trees around your home have needles, you may need to schedule more frequent cleanings, even 3 or 4 times a year. If your home has trees with falling blossoms, you will need extra cleanings in the springtime.
In addition, you can also hire a tree service company to trim branches that are causing debris to collect in your gutters.
3. A Place for Pests
While you may not be able to see the piles of wet leaves building up in your gutters, pests certainly can. These piles of decaying leaves are a buffet to pests like mosquitoes, termites, ants, squirrels, mice, and even birds. These pests will either be busy chowing down or using scraps to make their nests.
Not only is having pests in your gutters annoying, it can also be harmful to your home. Any of these pests could spread and find their way to the inside of your home. These pests could also start eating away at any part of your home, but mostly your roof and attic. The only way to ensure they do not get in is to prevent them from ever being there. Schedule a gutter cleaning with a professional to ensure your gutters aren’t inviting to pests.
4. Winter’s On Its Way
Just as soon as we start to get used to fall weather, it will be time to start preparing for winter. While there may no longer be leaves on the trees in winter, clogged gutters are still a concern. If you ignore cleaning your gutters in fall, by the time of the first snowfall you will have a bigger issue on your hands.
Leaving leaves and other debris in your gutters all fall will cause the materials to clump together and freeze once the temperature drops. Every time there is rain or snowfall, there will be nowhere for it to go. This frozen mix of leaves and rainwater can cause serious water damage to your gutters and home.
The heavier the gutters get, the more they will sag. Sagging gutters can cause the hardware that secures the gutter to your home to come loose and pull away. This could result in your gutters falling off of your home. Not only could falling gutters potentially injure someone below, you will also have to pay for them to be replaced and reinstalled. Avoid this mess by having your gutters cleaned this fall.
5. Curb Appeal Disaster
Having a mess on the side of your home is something every homeowner wants to avoid. The good news is that most curb appeal disasters are totally preventable. All you have to do is stay on top of your gutter maintenance.
If your gutters are dirty they can quickly build up mold and algae. When left untreated, once your gutters start to overflow, the mixture of mold and algae will create unattractive black and brown streaks on the gutters and the surface below them.
To ensure your home doesn’t have unsightly marks taking away from the curb appeal, be sure to schedule a regular gutter maintenance appointment.
Now that you know 5 good reasons to get your gutter cleaned this fall, the next step is booking an appointment. You can quickly and easily be connected with top-rated gutter maintenance companies in your area by clicking here. Simply enter your information and you’ll be connected to top rated companies in your area for free. Remember that the only way to keep your gutters in good working order is to have them cleaned regularly, and there’s no better time to start than the present.
