Home maintenance is essential this time of year. For your gutters, it’s even more important. They are the first line of defense against water damage such as basement flooding, a cracked foundation, and mold growth. It’s not just about cleaning the gutters: they should be inspected in between gutters cleanings and repaired when the damage is severe enough to impact their functionality. To avoid major repairs, here are some useful maintenance tips to keep gutters well-maintained year-round.
When and How Often
While most residential gutters typically need cleaning once in the fall and again in spring, knowing when and how often to clean them is just as critical. If your area receives high annual rainfall, live near a factory, or there are woods nearby, you might have to gutter clean three or more times a year. For homeowners that have a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees on their property, pine trees shed needles over a longer period of time than elder, birch, and maple trees – cleaning the gutters as close to the end of fall would be best.
Inspect the Gutters
Especially after windstorms or heavy rain or driving snow, things can happen to a gutter system in between cleanings. Take a pair of binoculars and see how the gutters are surviving the fall and winter months. Inspecting the gutters from the ground should give you an idea if anything is seriously wrong – gutter sections or hardware (brackets, nails, etc.) on the ground, sagging gutters, separated seams, or downspouts disconnected from gutter outlets.
Make Repairs
After inspecting the gutters and there is something that needs repairing, decide if it needs to be done right away or if it could wait. It depends on the type and the extent of the damage. For example, loose screws holding gutters to the fascia or brackets keeping the downspouts in place might appear to be a lesser priority than a leaking seam. But factor in sharp winds or heavy rain or both and you might end up having to deal with sagging gutter sections, downspout separation, or damage to the siding and/or basement flooding when the gutter system overflows.
Scoop Out Debris
Every so often, get out the ladder and inspect gutter sections where downpipes connect. Ensure that the gutter outlet is clog-free. Also look inside along the gutter run, checking for any debris buildup. If there is anything in the gutters that can potentially form a block, scoop it out manually. Using a hose or pressure washer to remove organic materials can push the debris into downspouts where blockages are more difficult to detect and get rid of.
Use a Plumber’s Auger
When you clean the gutters or have a gutter cleaning technician do it for you, the downspouts are cleaned too. Again, in between scheduled cleanings, as part of an inspection after stormy weather, check the downspouts for clogs. Once you’ve looked at the top and bottom of the downpipe and they seem to be clear, tap the downspout above and below the seam where two pipes sections are joined together. If you hear a loud clang, it’s most likely there are no blockages. However, when you hear a clunk or muffled sound, use a plumber’s auger to remove the clog.
