Gutter cleaning- and everything you need to know about it

If you have stumbled upon this article, we are assuming you have started noticing the signs of your gutter being dirty and clogged. However, if you cannot remember the last time you got your gutters cleaned, we suggest you hire a professional for this job. You can just click here to receive a customised gutter cleaning service! 

Gutter cleaning is essential to ensure that your house remains healthy. Clogged and unhealthy gutters can affect your entire house and can lead to severe damage that may cost you way more money and time to fix. However, to understand why you need to get your gutters cleaned, you need to first understand how gutters work! 

What does a gutter do?

The function of a gutter is to redirect the rainwater away from your roofs and your home. Rainwater falls on your roof and is redirected by the gutters to flow away from your house, instead of falling on the sides of the house. This is essential to ensure that the water does not get absorbed by the soil around the house and then, eventually into the foundation. This is because the water getting absorbed can shift your foundation and cause multiple problems with the house’s interior as well as exterior. If you have garden beds close to the walls of your house, then the pooling water can cause soil erosion, ultimately, destroying them. The water will also start puddling in these voids left by erosion. 

How to know if gutters are clogged

You should be gutter cleaning at least 3 times every year. However, if you start noticing these signs, it means that your gutters are clogged and probably require cleaning. Your gutters might have gotten so clogged because of leaves from trees as well as other debris like twigs and dirt. Over time, they might start rotting and cause an unpleasant smell (if not cleaned on time, that is). Here are some tell-tale signs that your gutters need to be cleaned immediately!

Increased animal activity

Increased animal activity is the first sign that your gutters are clogged. If you start noticing more birds, squirrels, and other rodents than before, then it means that they are probably starting to inhabit your roof. Clogged gutters create a pool of water on your rooftops, which becomes the perfect habitat for these small rodents and pests like mosquitoes. If this problem is not treated immediately, it can lead to an infestation of mice and other rodents in your house (which will require an exterminator to remove).

Leaking roofs

If you fail to notice the increased animal activity, you will soon be met with leaking roofs- which are a clear indication that the water on your roof is still there and is not getting drained. Leaking roofs happen when the water has been stationary on your roof for quite some time and has started to seep into the wooden structure of your roof. Once this happens, not only does it make the roof weaker, but can also cause the windowsills, doors etc to get weaker and in worse cases, start cracking. 

Shift in foundation

This happens when the water is being drained too close to the foundation of the house or the gutters are clogged over so the water starts falling down the sides of the house instead of getting drained through the gutters. This will cause the soil around your house to start absorbing it, leading to soil erosion and hence, a shift in the foundation. This can cause cracks in walls, both inside and outside, as well as problems with flooring. You might also notice that the water has started seeping into the basement and flooding it completely- leading to the doors and windows not closing properly as well as cracks in drywall. 

Gutter Guards

If you are unwilling to go through the hassle of cleaning your gutters three times a year, it might be a good idea for you to consider getting gutter guards installed. The gutter guards are wired mesh screens that are attached to the gutters. They catch all the leaves and debris before it reaches the actual gutters. They, however, still need to be cleaned. Not as frequently as gutters, but once a year, or the leaves and debris will start rotting. 

It is better to hire a professional to install gutter guards as they require knowledge and expertise to adjust and fit. Trying to install one yourself can lead to hurting yourself or installing it wrong- leading to multiple problems with the gutter. The cost of gutter guards is usually around £10 to £30  per linear foot installed. The average cost comes down to £15, but it might also depend on your roof as well as the house size.