How Often Gutter Cleaning Should Be Made?
If you have made the decision to ask the question, “How often should I clean my gutters?” you have made a good choice. Window Ninjas is a team of professionals who are dedicated to delivering you the very best service experience and satisfactory results possible for your home and property. By asking how often you should clean your gutters, you will be improving the quality of the life you are enjoying for years to come.
Gutters are a critical component of the home’s drainage system. These drains help with collecting rainwater, carrying run-off from rooftops, and filtering surface water from the foundation. With all of this debris floating in the gutters, it is necessary to regularly maintain them. If left unmaintained, gutters can clog and eventually lead to water damage, leaks, and other types of damage. Whether it is the first time you have asked yourself this question or you have simply been noticing an increase in the amount of debris in the gutter, you know the importance of keeping them clean.
Your energy bill will continue to rise without you even realizing it. Energy use through the roof directly impacts your monthly utility bill and the larger the gutter size, the more energy you are using. If your gutters are not functioning properly, you could be wasting thousands of dollars a year, especially if they are beyond exteriors.
The frequency of cleaning your gutters will depend largely on whether you have wood, vinyl, or metal gutters. Wood and metal gutters require cleaning approximately three to four times a year. Metal gutters are typically cleaned during the cooler part of the year when the humidity levels are lower. You should also pay attention to the type of siding your house has. Vinyl and aluminum gutters are generally cleaned once per year. However, vinyl may need to be painted every few years to maintain its appearance.
When considering how often you should clean gutters, consider whether or not they are insulated properly. Insulated gutters allow rainwater to run off safely and do not collect debris. If you live in a part of the country that receives heavy downpours, it is especially important to ensure that your gutters are insulated. If they are not, debris from the rain can sit on the roof and rot. Using an old fashioned no hole saw to cut out the pieces is the best way to avoid damaging your roof. You can always hire a professional to install an emergency roof tarping in place of the old one.
There are many different methods of gutter cleaning that can be used, depending on how much debris is present. Some homeowners will use a pressure washer to remove the excess tree limbs and leaves. In order to get rid of leaves and twigs, a gutter cleaning service can come out and give the residential properties a thorough cleaning. They will use a power sprayer that looks similar to a garden hose to clear away any debris. A pressure washer does not require the homeowner to manually control the water; instead it just sprays it on to the surface of the gutters.
Another common method of how often gutter cleaning is called eavestrough cleaning. This method involves using a special rake that collects the debris and branches from the eavestrough. As the debris is collected, the homeowner uses a power washer to get rid of it. The old fashioned way, where the eavestrough would need to be taken apart in order to get at the debris, was quite tedious and not the most comfortable thing to do. Today, however, most home builders have built eavestrough systems that can easily be attached to the gutter system.
In order to prevent leaks from happening in the first place, gutter repairs and replacements are important. If we don’t catch leaks in the first place, they can easily seep through the shingles on the roof and into the home’s interior. The more often the leaks occur, the greater the risk of them getting out of control and causing an enormous amount of damage. Gutter repair isn’t something that should be delayed because of costs or because we’re afraid to tackle it. Instead, we should invest in a product that is a smart solution to our leaking roofs.