One of the biggest responsibilities of a homeowner is to look out for their property’s well-being. They should ensure that every corner of their property is well taken care of, including the landscape’s smaller details. This also includes looking out for what needs to be cleaned out, performing maintenance or checking if a repair is needed- like on your gutters!
It may seem to be the least meticulously attended part of the house, but it plays a vital role that prevents your home from experiencing interior and exterior damage. If you have given less attention to your home gutters in the past, this article may inspire you to change that.
We will cover the importance of your home gutters, including when is the right time to change the entire gutter system, or if a regular cleaning will do the trick.
Understanding the Role of a Home Gutter Better
When you ask any home maintenance experts, they will say that every part of your house structure is essential. All of them are crucial in their own way.
Your gutters play an important role in keeping your home from damages. If you are concerned with proper ventilation and roofing conditions, you should look into your gutters.
Your home gutter may look like it does not require any special attention, unlike the other parts of your home, but we beg to disagree. When neglected, home gutters will turn from being a minor problem to a homeowner’s nightmare.
Gutters play an integral role in a house’s entire well-being. They are specifically installed to control the rainwater’s flow to protect your roof, walls, foundation and landscape from possible damages. These damages could include:
- Soil erosion
- Structure siding
- Mold growth from water getting into the house
- Staining
These damages will occur if you don’t have a good gutter system installed in your home or if your current gutters need cleaning maintenance or a repair. But when would you know your gutters need one?
When Is a Home Gutter Repair Necessary?
It’s important to check if your current home gutter needs repair. You don’t necessarily need to check your gutters frequently, but regularly checking it will help. Doing this will tell you if your gutters are already filled with debris, fallen leaves, twigs, has an animal nest, or if there’s a current pest build-up.
Moreover, significant damages, like splitting, cracking, and peeling of the gutter system will require more labor. However, common issues of leakage and holes in your gutters can be done by yourself. But if you’re not comfortable accessing your roof and climbing ladders, you can ask for professionals to assist you.
We Are Storm Pros, for one, is a company that can assist in repairing home gutters. They can even help you spot and fix other issues you may have missed. They conduct overall gutter checking to see if other issues need to be addressed or if a new gutter installation is needed. This is sometimes recommended if the system starts to pull away and can’t handle the roof’s extra weight and the clogged debris on the gutter.
Would Cleaning Be Enough?
Many homeowners ask if cleaning their home gutters is enough. The answer is: yes and no. It entirely depends on the current status of the home gutter.
To be clear on this subject, regularly cleaning the gutters is very important, but your home gutter will not require the usual maintenance cleaning all the time. If your gutters are in a damaged state, cleaning wouldn’t be enough to provide the same function it has when it’s brand new. But if they are in good shape, a cleaning will do just fine, and will go a long ways in sustaining a longer lifespan for the structure.
Most gutters have a lifespan of 20 years, and a well-maintained gutter extends up to 25 to 30 years.
But How Often Should They Be Cleaned?
That’s another question with an answer that depends on your location and environment. If trees surround your house, expect that your gutters will be constantly filled with falling leaves so you will need to check them more often, especially during the fall season.
If you live in a city and trees are uncommon, conduct a twice year gutter checking. This is to make sure that there’s no pest build-up or animal nest that may cause clogging.
Takeaway
Every part of your home requires some love and attention at times. Gutters don’t often receive the kind of attention like the other parts of the house, but they can play a role in preventing possible structural damage in the property, so go ahead and give them a look and see what you can do to better take care of your home.
