The importance of gutter cleaning and care

​Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your home gutter system intact. Those who assist you in preparing your home for sale may advise you to check your gutters for any bent areas. The saleability of your home is enhanced by clean and well-maintained gutters.

Gutter cleaning should be done at least twice a year, according to most home improvement experts. If your gutters are blocked with debris such as leaves and twigs the rain will not run down or drain properly. It’s crucial to make sure that the rain isn’t spilling over the top of your gutter and onto your foundation. Over time this can cause harm to the home’s foundation.

Fall and spring are the recommended times to clean your gutters after they've been covered in leaves all summer long. While you’re cleaning your gutters you will want to inspect them for any holes or rust through. Make sure there are no loose nails. Check to make sure the gutters are firmly secured to the home.

After you have removed all the debris from the gutter you’ll want to rinse any residual debris down the gutter and into the downspout using your garden hose. This will also allow you to make sure that your downspout isn’t clogged with debris. If you notice the water not running into the downspout you can remove the downspout, clean it and then reattach it.

Use a plastic or concrete diverter to ensure that the water exiting the downspout is properly diverted. You don’t want the water flowing out on the ground where it may promote erosion.

Gutter guards have grown very popular and do away with the problem of needing to clean your gutters, although they will still need twice yearly inspection. For a do-it-yourself type installing gutter guards isn’t a big deal, and, it could save you hundreds of dollars over having the gutter guards placed by experts.

Some people say that gutter guards are too expensive and not worth the money. While gutter guards prevent huge leaves from entering the gutter they do not stop much smaller natural waste such as seeds, buds, small bits of bark and twigs or evergreen needles. Debris in your gutters is the result of all of this natural materials decomposing over time. Also, debris can pile up over the gutter guard screening that will have to be manually cleaned off. Some have found that gutter guards actually bring them more troubles.