Often a home improvement task that is overlooked, cleaning your gutters is essential if you want to keep your roof in tact and avoid any costly water damage.
Rain gutter installation is one thing, but if you are not sure where to start when it comes to maintaining your gutter system, then don’t worry, we’ve got your back.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about cleaning your clogged gutters, including how to clean aluminium gutters and copper gutters.
Regularly clean your gutters
Are your gutters filled with debris? Prevention is better than cure when it comes to Gutter Maintenance, so you need to make sure you are regularly inspecting and cleaning your gutters and the feet of gutters to avoid a build-up of leaves and dirt.
You can use gutter scoops or a gutter trowel to facilitate this task and once the debris has all been removed, use a garden hose to fully flush out the gutters. You can also get gutter tools that are specifically designed for single storey and two-storey guttering.
Check your downspouts for clogs
As well as checking your gutters, you should also check your downspouts for leaves, dirt, and other debris, as a clogged downspout can cause water to overflow during a rainstorm.
Again, you can use a garden hose with a pressure nozzle to test the flow of your downspouts. Although, be warned you may want to wear work gloves as this process can be messy.
Be vigilant
While many homeowners wait for a gutter problem to arise, it is much better to regularly inspect your gutters for any issues.
Some problems to look out for include signs of rust or corrosion, cracks, holes, gaps, or any guttering that is falling away from your home.
It can be a good idea to use an extension ladder with a ladder stabilizer to inspect your guttering as this can help to ensure you don’t miss any issues higher up on your property.
Install gutter guards
If you don’t want to have to clean your gutters on a regular basis, then you might want to think about installing gutter guards.
These devices fit over or inside of your gutters and are designed to help prevent any debris such as leaves and twigs from falling into your guttering.
Once you have installed gutter guards, you will no longer need to scoop out any leaves. Simply brush them off.
Secure your gutters
It would help if you made sure that your gutters were properly secured to your home. If you notice any sagging or loose gutters, you should replace the gutter spikes with gutter screws as these hold much better and offer more support for your guttering.
Consider installing downspout extensions
If you would like to improve your current drainage systems, you might want to think about installing downspout extensions.
Most downspouts only contain splash blocks that funnel the water a couple of feet from your home. However, if yours regularly experiences heavy flows of water, it can become displaced.
However, by installing downspout extensions, which are essentially little flexible tubes, you can ensure any water is flushed away from the foundation of your home.