The 5 Main Reasons For Year-Round Gutter Maintenance

Maintaining your gutters is an important step that every homeowner should take in order to keep them in top shape. However, despite this warning, most homeowners deem that maintaining their gutters is only necessary at least once or twice a year and often restricted to certain seasons. This isn’t actually the case as gutters should actually be maintained year-round.

In this post, gutter replacement service Advantage Seamless discusses the five main reasons you should maintain your gutters the whole year.

1. Leaky Basement – If you notice that your basement leaks whenever it rains, it’s possible that there’s a problem with your gutters and your foundation. Neglected clogs in gutters or downspouts often cause water to pool in the foundation, put pressure on the walls and form the cracks that allows water to seep through your basement. To prevent this, clear any gutter debris at the earliest sign of a leak and depending on the severity of the damage, the foundation may also need repairs.

2. Granule Buildup – Heavy rains can eventually cause the granules of your asphalt roof to separate from the shingle and fall into your gutters. If left unchecked, it can accumulate and trap debris that can slow or stop the water flow in your gutter. Therefore, make sure to clean your gutters quarterly and consider adding micro mesh to keep the gutters granule free.

3. Debris – Debris can cause your gutters to clog and prevent them from diverting rainwater away from your home. There are many types of debris that can fall in your gutters such as pine needles, seedpods, leaves and twigs. All of them can prevent your gutters from working as well as they should and can even encourage poor health and pest infestation. With that in mind, be sure to remove these debris with a leaf blower, gutter scoops or wet-dry vacuum. If you aren’t confident with cleaning it yourself, you can always call your local gutter company to do it for you.

4. Water Flow – On the other hand, if you live in a place with a wet climate, your gutters may not be able to handle the rate of water flow. This will cause the excess run off to overflow from the downspouts and damage your patio or foundations. Therefore, make sure to inspect your gutters quarterly or replace them with higher-capacity variants.

5. Age – If you live in a historic house or an old home, it’s likely the place is equipped with old style gutters. To avoid compromising your home’s integrity, inspect your older gutters at least four times a year and have them repaired if you see any holes. If needed, get them replaced with newer ones instead.

Make your search for local gutter installers easier by turning to Advantage Seamless. We are your leading provider of gutter guards and gutter cleaning services.  Fill out our contact form to request a free estimate. We serve homeowners in Baxter, Brainerd and other nearby areas in MN.