As you work to improve and maintain your home, you may find it is the little habits that make the biggest differences. Small maintenance and upkeep tasks that we don’t always give much attention to could end up becoming large and cumbersome tasks that take up too much of our time. Gutter cleaning is one of those such tasks that is well worth taking the time to keep up with, for the safety of your home and for your own peace of mind (so that you don’t end up spending an entire day on your gutters). Here’s why you shouldn’t put off gutter cleaning this summer in Buffalo Grove and Wilmette IL, areas.
Related: 6 Signs Your Property Needs Gutter Cleaning In Winnetka, IL
Gutters are used primarily to protect your home against water damage and to prevent major problems such as flooding and soil erosion. To be effective, gutters must be kept clean and debris-free. Not only will clogged gutters be less effective in protecting your home from damages, they can also be expensive to fix.
Water Damage
When gutters are clogged, water will overflow and start to pool along the base of the house, instead of flowing away and draining out into your yard. Significant foundation damage can occur from standing water situations such as this. It is a vicious cycle of foundations becoming waterlogged and starting to crumble, which thereby allows more water to seep in. This leads not only to flooding, but also the probability of damage from water freezing in the cracks of the foundation when the weather starts to become cold. Water is a common cause of foundation damage, but one that is often not obvious until the damage is immense.
Structural Damage
In addition to the foundational damages that can be caused by clogged gutters, when gutters accumulate debris they can begin to crack and sag under the added weight, especially when the debris gets wet and becomes even heavier. That in turn can cause damage to other structural elements of your home as the gutters may start to pull away from the house - and take part of your house with them! This can be especially damaging in the wintertime when snowmelt from your roof cannot flow through your gutters, and re-freezes in and around the gutters. Sectional gutters have the added risk of leaking or breaking at their joints when water gets trapped or frozen.
Health Problems
When you see stain marks or mold around your downspout or along the side of your house, you’ll know that there is an issue with incorrect water flow. It is important to clean your gutters to avoid mold growth, which could negatively affect your family’s health. Many individuals are allergic to various types of mold. In particular, black mold is an extremely hazardous variety, and any type of mold should be dealt with by a professional cleaner.
Wildlife Guests
Clogged gutters are an invitation for insects, birds and small mammals to build their nests. Unless you are prepared to start your own mini zoo, or are looking forward to replacing your roof, be sure to regularly remove the nesting material that is so appealing to these animals.
Cleaning My Gutters
The style of your landscape will determine how often you need to clean your gutters. For any home, it is necessary to do a full clean in the fall, especially after the majority of the leaves have fallen and before the freeze-thaw cycle of winter begins. If your landscape contains evergreen trees that shed their needles throughout the year, it will be important to clean your gutters more often. After a heavy rain and winds, check for debris that may have found its way into your gutters.
The cleaning process can be done on your own or by hiring a professional. Before you decide to clean on your own, ask yourself how long it’s been since your gutters were last cleaned - the longer it’s been, the harder and messier the job will be - and if you have the proper tools and safety equipment to do it yourself.
