Inspect your wood or galvanized steel gutters and downspouts twice a year to ensure adequate protection for your home.
Gutter Care and Maintenance
Gutters and downspouts provide the first line of defense against water damage to your home. But even the best gutter systems require routine maintenance. You can increase the power of your exterior drainage system by employing screens, filters, guards, and gutter shields. Even so, you should consider cleaning the entire system several times a year to ensure that your home is protected.
Gutters and Protection
It's important to consider what happens when gutters fail. Your home may experience:
- External wall damage or discoloration
- Structural or foundation damage
- Basement flooding
- Rotted ceilings or fascia
Preventative maintenance of metal, wood, or galvanized gutters should become routine each spring and fall. You'll need to clear out any debris that interferes with drainage. Even if you've employed solid or plastic gutter shields and guards, you'll need to inspect them from leaves, twigs, or roofing materials.
Cleaning Your Gutters
Get up on a sturdy ladder and inspect the entire range of gutters and downspouts for clogging and poor drainage. After cleaning any debris from the guards, run the hose through the system. If the flow is impeded, flush the gutters with higher hose pressure after you remove the bulk of material with a gutter scoop. Galvanized steel gutters hold up well in cold climates, but they still can't clean themselves.
It's a perfect time to check the length of gutter for leaks, loose fittings, bent hangars, or corrosion pitting. You may have to call in an expert if you need to correct the drain slope.
