You might be thinking that grabbing a ladder and unclogging it during rainy seasons is enough to avoid gutter cleaning mistakes, right? Well, you are just setting up a disaster for your pocket.
Most homeowners avoid gutter cleaning until it makes a scene during rainy seasons. The reason behind it, well, it’s dangerous and a hassle! But it would be best if you would not continue ignoring it, or sooner or later, your gutter system will turn into a gutter disaster.
Get familiar with these common gutter cleaning mistakes to ensure that this maintenance routine goes off without a hitch, season after season.
Importance of Gutter Cleaning
Keeping your gutters clean regularly is an essential part of house maintenance that can help you avoid costly problems like foundation damage, leaks, and other significant problems.
While removing the sitting debris in your gutters may appear to be a simple task, it may be dangerous if not performed correctly. Aside from the fact that you’re working from a ladder, it’s even riskier if your house has a high roof and has never done the job before.
You can easily keep your gutters free of debris by taking a few safety precautions and routine maintenance. To ensure your gutter system’s long lifespan and avoid paying for costly repairs in the future, here are some things you should take note to avoid gutter cleaning mistakes.
6 Gutter Cleaning Mistakes That Could Lead to Disaster
1. Irregular Gutter Cleaning
No homeowner wants to spend the weekend cleaning out their gutters, right? It’s one of the most underrated and complicated tasks for them. That’s why gutter cleaning is always at the bottom of the to-do list.
Throughout the year, gutters are frequently clogged with water, leaves, snow, and other debris. If you fail to do regular inspection and maintenance, it’s no surprise that early deterioration would appear.
Generally, it would be best if you got your gutters clean at least twice a year, but this may vary based on your landscape.
2. Ignoring Small Gutter Repairs
Have you noticed slight problems such as a slightly loose downspout, patchy spots of mould, or peeling paint on your gutters? Well, it’s not too late to take action regarding it. These minor problems might not cause any major short-term effects, but they have all the potential to damage in the long run.
You can avoid gutter cleaning mistakes like this by regularly inspecting them. You don’t want to wait for a disaster to come before having any prevention. When you first spot them, fix it already, not when they become worse.
3. You clean your gutters at the wrong time.
To ensure that your drainage system functions effectively when needed, timing is also critical for cleaning your gutters.
If your gutters are clogged or inadequate during unpredictable weather and storms, the probability of getting your house damaged is getting higher.
To avoid gutter cleaning mistakes like this, plan to clean gutters ahead of seasons when severe weather is typical in your area. For many regions, that means cleaning gutters every spring and fall in preparation for summer storms and hard winter weather.
4. You don’t wear proper protective gear.
Gutter cleaning is a messy job, and you don’t want to get your bare hands dirty by reaching into a pile of rotting leaves. Aside from dirt, you are also at risk cleaning your gutters without hand gloves since sharp objects could be hidden in the sitting debris at your gutters.
Additionally, you could avoid gutter cleaning mistakes by using eyewear and appropriate shoes since you’re probably inspecting and cleaning the gutters while on a ladder.
5. You’re not using the right tools.
Choosing between using your own cleaning method or opting for professional gutter cleaning services is probably one of the things most homeowners think about. Well, having no appropriate tools to clean gutters might be the deciding factor.
Scooping debris, such as leaves, out of gutters with gloved hands can be practical, but certain professional tools can make the job easier. Having these tools will lessen the time and get you the results in no time.
In other cases, some homeowners opt to use a pressure washer to blast debris from their gutters when the accumulation is really bad. It may be best for safety reasons to clean your gutters by hand or call in a professional to surely avoid gutter cleaning mistakes.
6. You haven’t installed gutter guards.
You can avoid gutter cleaning mistakes as much as possible by installing gutter guards. You can keep your gutters from being clogged in the first place as this perforated metal or mesh catches debris, fallen leaves, and tree droppings and still lets water flow freely through your home’s drainage system.
Gutter guards will be an excellent long-term investment if you live in an area with a lot of trees or if you tend to neglect gutter cleaning.
What’s Next After Gutter Cleaning?
Above all, remember to perform a thorough cleaning of your roof.
Many homeowners still believe that roof washing isn’t that critical. They tend to believe that they can simply sit back and let the rain take care of the mess on top of their homes — let’s debunk the misconception here.
Most modern roofs have calcium-based fillers and components that support the growth of algae and moss. So, even if you clean your roof regularly, the accumulation of dirt and debris is inevitable. What more if you don’t clean it regularly?
Not all homeowners can clean their roofs on their own. So if this rings true to you, you don’t need to force yourself to do it. It’s best to hire a professional exterior house washing company specialising in roof cleaning. They’ll handle it for you.
Let House Washing Experts Clean Your Gutters and Roof
Besides cleaning your gutters, you can work with House Washing Experts to clean neglected areas that collect dirt and debris. This includes eaves, soffits, chimneys, and the like.
We provide high-quality gutter cleaning services and roof cleaning services designed to help you revitalise your gutters, maintain your roof’s integrity and save you money from preventable repairs. Rest assured that we can improve your house’s appeal in no time. Call us at 1300 927 433 today!