Summer is almost here so now is the time to start thinking about your warm weather chores. Now that the frost and hail have stopped pummeling them and the leaves are no longer falling, your gutters are happy to take a break. There’s clear climate ahead and it time to do the maintenance on your gutters.

Don’t undervalue the importance of your gutter system.  A gutters main purpose is to redirect water away from your home. No matter what type of basement or foundation your home has, it relies heavily on your gutter system to keep it protected from the elements.

At a minimum, they should be cleaned twice a year to keep leaves, debris and any other material from obstructing the flow of water, as well as keeping any water from leaking into the house.

Extensive water damage is no joke and the costs for restoration can be staggering. Take the time to keep your gutters maintained and you can rest easy when you have a smooth, well-running gutter system. With regular maintenance, your gutter system could last 20 to 30 years.

Do A Good Cleaning

Put on some gloves and give your gutters a complete cleaning. Pull out debris like pine straw, sticks and leaves – any and everything else.  Keep an eye out for spider webs and buzzy things and call your pest control company if necessary. Or call animal control if you need assistance with birds or other wildlife.

Use a spade and trowel to scoop out any dirt or mud.

Clean with a soft brush and soap. If using a nonabrasive or other cleaners, make sure to test an area to make sure it doesn’t remove any paint.  Keep an eye out for areas that could be causing problems and go back and take a look at them when you’re checking the drainage from the roof.  If you have areas of mold, algae, or moss, it could mean that you have a drainage problem.

When you have finished and they are clean, flush the entire gutter system with a garden hose.  This will help find leaks and barriers.

With the hose, wash out your downspouts to make sure there’s nothing clogging them. You don’t have to be forceful in this step. The downspouts aren’t expected to take as much water pressure as the house drainage.

Look for standing water – it’s a breeding ground for bugs and mosquitos and you may have to adjust the water flow.

Inspect and Take Notes

Now you have cleaned the gutters get a good look and take a good inventory of places that stand out and need to be addressed immediately. Then take another look at the areas you found while you were cleaning.  Visually inspect the entire gutter system looking for clogs, leaks, dings, holes, hanging fixtures and dismantled pieces. Use pliers to bend sagging areas back into place. Make sure that you replace extremely damaged areas. All gaps and leaks should also be repaired.

If you aren’t that confident in your inspection or have extensive damage, call our service professionals for a free inspection. If you have major damage, you may need to consider replacing the gutter system.

How Is The Drainage?

Walk around the entire system with a garden hose and follow the flow of water. The water should flow away from the foundation and you should have no puddles or standing water.  Shifting in the foundation, home improvements, wildlife, storms, and other things can all have an impact on your drainage patterns so readjust them as necessary.

Check The Slope

To keep water flowing, the gutter should slope towards the downspout, about 1/8″ per foot.  If your slope is incorrect it can lead to overflowing into your home or basement.

Do Repairs

Do you still have that glowing inventory that you took? Get a flow of water going through the gutter to find small leaks. If you find a leak, you try to fix it yourself with some flashing and roof cement, or by using silicone caulking around a piece of gutter that has been cleaned and dried. Or you can, of course, always call in a gutter professional.  You may need to install new hangers or reattach them if you have a sagging gutter. If the weather has caused issues or even if they weren’t correctly installed it could come crashing down. There are other hardware components that could be causing the issue and you can generally get those parts at any home improvement store.

Use Gutter Guards

Gutter guards may be your gutter’s best friend. They seal the ends of the gutter and have a screen over the top. They are great for keeping all the bugs, leaves, and other mess out. Guess how much easier this job will be next year! If you are unsure about the process, they can be installed by a professional and they will prevent clogging and other related issues.

The bad weather is over and the time has come to work on keeping those gutters up to snuff! If you’re thinking of installing new gutters or downspouts or just doing some basic cleaning and light repair, now is the perfect time to do it. Give us a call and we will be more than happy to come out and give your gutters a full inspection and an estimate for seamless gutters.