Preventing Clogged Gutters
Every homeowner should be performing periodic maintenance on their roof and gutters. While it may not be a glamorous task, it is imperative in keeping your roof, and the home it’s covering, in tip top shape to withstand the elements.
How to Plan Maintenance Required
How often you should be taking care of this maintenance will vary slightly depending on your location;
- If you live in an urban area, or somewhere with fewer trees, we recommend checking and cleaning your gutters around once a year.
- Those who live in suburban or rural areas with increased tree cover, should aim to tackle this more often.
When planning household maintenance, consider autumn the best time to look after gutters. That’s because you can make sure that everything is clean and cleared before the weather worsens and trees start to shed their leaves.
That’s not to say that this is the only time you should pay attention to your gutters, though. With the summer’s hot temperatures, leaves and debris in your gutters can pose some additional risks, particularly when it comes to fire. Cleaning your gutters throughout the season can help to mitigate this fire hazard, as well as keep your gutters in good shape.
How to Avoid Clogged Gutters
When ticking gutter checkups off your to-do list, what should you actually be looking for, and how do you ensure that your gutters won’t get clogged?
Gutters and Gutter Covers
The easiest way to protect your gutter from collecting debris and leaf build-up is to cover it. Nowadays, there are gutter guards and covers that are designed for easy installation, so this can be a relatively straightforward addition to your gutters if you’re up to the task. If DIY isn’t your thing, that’s ok, you can always have them installed for you.
While there are no gutter coverings that will absolutely make your roof debris-free, installing one will definitely help save you from having to frequently check and clean it.
If you live in a heavily wooded area, it might be a good idea to install a gutter outlet that is bigger or wider than the standard. This will allow debris to flow through, helping to prevent some build-up that will likely lead to a gutter blockage.
Check For Proper Flow
An easy way to see if your gutters are clogged is to check for proper flow. You can do this by flushing them with water and ensuring it can run through the gutter and outlet without getting blocked by obstructions.
If the water does get blocked along the way, then that’s a sign that there’s a problem. Getting your gutters professionally cleaned can help to keep build-up at bay, and creates an opportunity to check for any damage.
Ensuring Drainage Into Downspouts
Blocked downspouts can be challenging to clean, but you can make the cleaning process easier by installing removable downspouts. With these in place, you’ll be able to remove them, check for obstructions, clean them, and put them back in place without too much hassle.
Fix Gutter Problems Immediately
Clogged gutters can be cleaned easily, but fixing gutters that have become damaged is more tedious. If this does happen, it’s important to repair them as soon as you can, as this will help to prevent further damage and more extensive repairs or replacement.
Gutter damage can come in many shapes, and isn’t just a consequence of not cleaning gutters. Regardless of what the problem is, you should make sure to see to it as soon as possible. You can also install additional gutter support, like spikes or ferrules, if needed.
Keep the Surroundings Clear
Tree maintenance is another step that you can take to help keep your gutters debris-free. By getting your trees pruned, or taking matters into your own hands, you can limit the amount of leaves and build-up that are within falling distance of your gutters.
Expert Help
The Jim’s Mowing experts can give you a hand with whatever you need, whether that’s tree-care, lawn-care, or looking after your gutters. If you’d like our help with your home and garden, then get in touch to speak with a member of our skilled team.
