Turning Houses Into Homes: A Home and Garden Blog

Tips To Ensure Your Gutters Are Clean And In Good Repair

The roof of your home is an important part of your home, as it is the first line of defense from adverse weather and the elements. Keeping your roof and its gutters well-maintained will ensure your home's interior stays dry from its rooftop to the foundation of your home's basement. Here are some tips to help you keep your home's gutters clean and in good repair and working properly:

Clean 

First, you will need to get up on your roof to clean your gutters. Winds can blow leaves and other debris into your gutters as the rain from your rooftop washes it into the gutters, creating a blockage from the debris. Over time, this debris can prevent your gutters from working properly and even clog your downspouts.

If your home is near trees, especially pine trees, in your or your neighbor's yards, the debris can collect more quickly. Pine or coniferous trees shed their needles all year versus deciduous trees, which shed their leaves once a year, and you may need to be more diligent with cleaning out your roof gutters. It is recommended to clean out your gutters several times each year, more often with coniferous trees, to prevent debris build-up.

Attach a jet spray nozzle onto your garden hose and safely get up on your roof to clean out the gutters of their debris. You can also scoop out the debris with your hand or a garden trowel. Be sure to wear protective gloves during the cleaning.

Inspect and Repair

Just as you inspect your rooftop for any damage from windstorms, hail, and winter ice, you should inspect your gutters to make sure there are no holes, cracks, or sagging that could cause water to spill from them and onto the soil around the foundation of your home. Water spilling from your gutters can cause excess soil saturation in the soil near your foundation and lead to interior moisture leaks. Turn on your garden hose and run it into your gutters to make sure there are no leaks from the gutters or their connection points.

If you encounter any leaks, you can patch them with a section of galvanized metal and some roofing cement to make a patch. You can also hire a gutter professional to make the repairs. You should also repair any sagging lengths, as they can allow water to flow over the gutter's edges.

Maintain Flow

Last, you want to make sure the water draining from the downspouts is being diverted well away from the soil around your home's foundation. Your downspouts need to have a diverter, such as a drainage tube connected to the end of the downspout and running several feet away from your home. Then, it is important to place a splash block at the end of the diverter. A splash block spreads the water out and prevents soil erosion at the exit point.

Use these tips to get your gutter system ready to continue protecting your home. Contact a company like Mile High Seamless Gutters, Inc. for more information and assistance. 


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