Gutter cleaning is an essential task for home improvement. It not only improves the look of your home but also prevents water damage and infiltration of pests.
However, gutter cleaning is not something most homeowners think about unless there's a significant problem with the guttering system or until it's fully backed up and overflowing. A healthy gutter cleaning interval is crucial in preventing premature damage to the gutters and safeguarding your property.
Although we recommend cleaning aluminium gutters at least twice a year, there are other factors to consider when determining the right frequency for cleaning out your gutters.
Importance of Cleaning Gutters
Cleaning gutters isn't something you should take lightly. Gutters can seem fine until they're not. Without proper care and maintenance, you can easily find yourself with major problems that could cost a significant amount to fix.
Most of these damages and concerns are preventable by regularly cleaning your gutters. Some of the problems associated with not cleaning your gutters include the following:
Leaks
Clogged gutters can clog the downspout causing blockages and the water to overflow. The blockages might also put undue pressure on the joints and seals of the guttering system and cause them to leak. A simple and quick clean-up and clearing of the clogs will easily fix the leaks.
Mould
If left unattended, the leaves that clog up the guttering can begin to decompose and rot. Mould will start to grow and thrive on them and may spread to the exterior of the gutter, the property and the attic leaving a filthy appearance and substantial health risks.
Roof damage
The roof is designed to protect your family and property from external factors. However, the underbelly of the roof structure doesn't hold well to these factors, particularly moisture. When your gutters get clocked up, the water can get into the roof structure and slowly rot the supporting structure. With enough time, the moisture can cause enough damage to warrant an entire roof replacement. Also, the weight of the rainwater can cause the gutter to rip, damaging the roof.
Pest infestation
Bugs, pests and critters love moisture, and the sight of decomposing leaves always means plenty of food and hiding places. Gradually, these pests find other suitable habitats within your home and attract other predators that feed on them. Over time, your home might become a haven for pests that are destructive to the property and carry various dangerous diseases.
How Often Should You Clean Your Gutters?
Once or twice a year is what most people go with. But it doesn't work for everyone because other determining factors might call for more or less regular gutter cleaning.
Condition of the gutters
Newly installed gutters have a full life ahead of them and can hold more weight. They will be more forgiving if you don't clean them regularly compared to older gutters. If you've had the gutters for a long time, they're more likely to rip and get damaged from the weight of the debris and rainwater and therefore require more regular cleaning.
Presence of gutter guards and screens
Most homeowners consider gutter guards and screens an added cost to gutter installation. But over time, the guards and screens more than pay for themselves by saving you time and effort. If you have gutter guards and screens, larger debris like twigs and leaves can't get into the gutters. They allow you more time between gutter cleaning because you only have the small particles to worry about, which don't weigh as much and take longer to accumulate.
Trees and foliage near your roof
You must clean your gutters more frequently if your home is near a flowering tree or foliage. Most of the leaves, flowers and twigs falling from the trees will end up in your gutter system. You're more likely to experience more gutter blockages every time it rains. You can avoid this by ensuring you clean the gutters more frequently.
Seasonal weather cycles
We recommend cleaning your gutters just before the rainy season to prepare them to transfer the rainwater collected by the roof. If you have two or three rainy seasons in your locality, you should clean your gutters depending on the cycles. This ensures your gutters are ready to go every time it rains.
You should ensure you have your gutters professionally cleaned at least once a year. During the cleaning, you should have a professional check for damages to the gutters and the roofing structure and plan to have any noted damages repaired as soon as possible to keep them from escalating.