The average price of a home in the United States is closing in on $300,000! That’s a huge investment and one you don’t want to take for granted by neglecting gutters and downspouts on your home.
Routine home maintenance not only keeps your home looking great but also protects this large investment. Some regular maintenance yields instant cosmetic results, and that’s gratifying.
Other things, such as cleaning and maintaining gutters and downspouts are easy to overlook but are especially important. Keep reading for information about the importance of routine home maintenance, gutter maintenance, and gutter cleaning to extend the roof of your life and keep your home protected.
Downspout Maintenance Reduces Clogs
Exterior home maintenance includes downspout cleaning first. The gutters catch the rainwater, and that flows to the downspouts.
Are your downspouts clogged? Then water is backing up into your gutters.
Checking the downspout is easy. Put a hose in the downspout and notice if water is running out the bottom. If it is, then everything is fine. But if not, you have a clogged downspout.
Call a professional if you’re not used to being on a ladder. A fall from a ladder is serious, so don’t take any unnecessary risks.
Clean Your Gutters to Avoid Roof Damage
Once your downspouts are in good working order, it’s crucial to clean the gutters at least twice a year. Remove all leaves, sticks, and other debris.
Gutters clogged with leaves and debris are heavy. Add in a rainstorm and the weight of the rain on top of the other debris can cause gutters to break away from the fascia.
Clogged gutters can also create water backups onto the roof. This can cause roof damage, pooling of water, and leaks inside your home.
Foundation Damage From Clogged Gutters and Downspouts
It’s not intuitive, but clogged gutters can also cause foundation damage. Are your gutters and downspouts clogged? Rainwater that can’t flow through gutters and down through the downspout pours over the sides of the gutters instead.
Water coming from the sides of the gutters pools around the foundation. Over time, this constant downpour and pooling cause erosion of your home’s foundation. Cracks, mold, and leaks result.
Do a home exterior inspection and see how the foundation looks. If you’ve got mold, cracks, or leaks, check your gutters and downspouts.
You can get a free 21-point home maintenance checklist here.
Prevention Saves Money
Routine home maintenance, such as gutter maintenance, is a great way to save money. Neglecting gutter cleaning causes expensive problems down the road, such as roof repair or even replacement. Don’t let a small problem turn into something much bigger.
Routine Home Maintenance to Protect Your Investment
Routine home maintenance is one of the most important aspects of homeownership. Gutter maintenance and gutter cleaning are inexpensive ways of avoiding high costs down the road.
Clean your gutters at least twice a year, preferably in the spring and fall, especially after most of the leaves are off the trees. Clean gutters go a long way toward extending the life of your roof.
Need help cleaning your gutters? Let our experienced professionals help with all your home maintenance needs! Contact us today.
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