How to Keep Your Gutters in Good Shape Throughout

Seattle is known as a rainy city, but it doesn’t even make the top five in America for seeing the most rainfall. Mobile is number one with 62.45 inches annually, followed by New Orleans, West Palm Beach, Miami, and Pensacola. You don’t have to live in one of these rainy cities to need gutters on your house.

This vital component of your home’s exterior ensures that water gets channeled away from the structure. Your gutter system needs to be in top condition to effectively direct water.

Follow these gutter maintenance tips to keep your home in top condition.

1. Clean Your Gutters Regularly

You need to know how to clean gutters. Plan to clean your gutters a few times throughout the year. You should especially do it at the end of fall before winter and at the end of winter before summer.

These are the times when it’s highly likely that they are full of leaves, branches, and debris. Gutter cleaning keeps them clear, allowing water to flow freely. It also keeps them empty, reducing the weight on them.

2. Look For Leaks

Once you have cleared your gutters, use a garden hose to run water through them. This washes away any remaining debris and residues. It also gives you an opportunity to look for leaks.

Even a small leak can result in major home damage. When you find a leak, use a patching kit and/or silicone. This stops the leak and prevents the water from flowing where it shouldn’t.

3. Check the Joints

Look at the joints where the gutter pieces connect to each other. The edges of each piece get welded together, which creates a potential for corrosion and rust. If you start to see corrosion developing, you need to address these right away, or the corrosion will continue to spread.

If left unaddressed, the corrosion will eventually require replacement. Otherwise, you will experience more leaks and a weakened gutter system.

4. Don’t Forget the Downspouts

The gutters on your roof direct the water away from your roof. But it’s the downspouts that do the rest of the work, moving the water away from your home. Without the downspouts, the water would end up right next to your home and under the foundation.

Your downspouts need to be free from leaks, corrosion, damage, and holes. This prevents the water from leaving the downspout before it’s supposed to. They also need to be long enough to direct the water far enough away from your home.

When rinsing your gutters, look at where the water flows. It should pool or sit at the base of your home.

5. Hire a Professional

Cleaning and working on gutters can be dangerous. They are attached to your roof, so you need a ladder to work on them. Always hire a professional for gutter installation, cleaning, and maintenance.

Roofing professionals can ensure your gutter system is in proper working order. They also have more experience in looking for leaks and potential problems. Having a professional look at your gutters can ensure no potential problems get missed.

Always Practice Regular Gutter Maintenance

Keep these five tips on gutter maintenance in mind and keep your home’s gutter in top condition. Plan to clean them at least twice a year. Once clean, look for leaks and corrosion.

Browse our other home articles for more helpful guidance on maintaining your home and keeping it in top condition.