How Often Should I Clean My Gutters

Gutter Cleaning Guide

Do you only notice how blocked your gutters are when it rains? There’s nothing more annoying or distracting than having a waterfall appear over your door frames and windows during a rainy day, which is why routinely cleaning your gutters is essential for the upkeep and maintenance of your home.
Blocked gutters can cause more than just damage to the exterior of your roof, while they can often seem harmless, neglected gutters can be the catalyst for an array of damage to the interior and exterior of your home. With professional gutter cleaning services available, there is no excuse for putting off this important maintenance procedure.

Let us take you through the key questions and queries most commonly asked from homeowners, so you can get a better idea of why it is so important to maintain your gutters, how often they need to be cleaned and what their general upkeep will look like. Don’t worry – it’s not as laborious as it sounds!

Why Do You Need To Clean Your Gutters?

Looking after your home is an important part of protecting your asset, we all know how house prices in New Zealand have soared in recent years, which is why cleaning your gutters is a wise investment of your time and money.

Keeping your gutters free from debris is a cost-effective and efficient way to protect the structural integrity of your home. By allowing water to flow freely from your roof and awnings, you are actively preventing the risk of mould, rot and algae build-up, which can often lead to bigger maintenance and repair issues. When water from your roof is misdirected, it can have a ripple effect throughout the structure of your home, with the risk of:

• Foundation Problems – with repeated exposure to water, the ground beneath your home can begin to erode and cause your foundation to move or warp.
• Mould Growth- The presence of mould in or around your home is not only harmful to your health but also damages the look and quality of your property, often leading to more frequent house washing services and repairs.
• The Emergence Of Rot – Having rot in the bones of your home is every homeowner’s worst nightmare, but with repeated exposure to water, it becomes inevitable.
• Basement Flooding – Misdirected water can have disastrous effects on the lower levels of your home, with poor drainage and repeated exposure to heavy volumes of water, the risk of basement flooding is high
• Garden And Landscape Damage – While rain is good for the garden, waterfalls and heavy torrents can have the opposite effect. Without clean gutters, the landscape of your home can be seriously damaged, leading to lost volume and soil degradation.

How Often Should My Gutters Be Cleaned?

A general rule of thumb for the timeframe in which to clean your gutters is about twice a year, this allows you to prepare for the upcoming summer months and then again before winter approaches. A bi-annual clean of your gutters will prevent your window frames, doors and skirting boards from waterlogging and will preserve the longevity of your home’s exterior paint or finish.

The Benefits Of Having Your Gutters Cleaned

Through knowing the effect neglected gutters have on your home, we can begin to get the bigger picture of how important preventative measures are for retaining the structure of your property. Through a bi-annual gutter cleanout, you can expect a noticeable longer expectancy in the paint, weatherboards and overall appearance of your home.

Keeping your gutters clean is much more than an ‘odd job,’ their overall maintenance will also:

• Prevent Cumulative Water Damage – Keeping your home warm and dry starts with diverting water sources from direct contact with your home. Gutters and drains are designed to draw moisture away from the walls, doors and window frames, which is why keeping them clear is crucial for preventing extensive damage.
• Prevent Pests – Mice, rats, insects and birds will often create homes in the leaves and natural debris surrounding your home, which is why keeping your gutters free from unnecessary waste buildup is an important measure in the prevention of unwanted pests
• Increase The Lifespan Of Your Roof – The combination of leaves, sticks, natural debris and water is a recipe for repair when it comes to your roof. With regular gutter cleaning, you can actually prevent the early onset of structural deformities caused by rot and mould from the effects of waterlogging and misdirected water.
• Create A Healthier Home – A healthy home begins with efficient water diversion. Keeping your gutters clear means you can maintain a safer, drier home that supports the health of your family throughout the wetter and colder months.
• Extend The Lifespan Of Your Gutters – While keeping your gutters clear is vital for the preservation of your home and garden, maintaining the gutters themselves are also an important step for keeping your home in good shape. Through regular cleaning, you extend the lifespan of your gutters as well as your home, lengthening the time in between upgrading or replacing them.

Final thoughts

For all your gutter cleaning advice, get in touch with the experts at YourLocal.