Gutter Maintenance
Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your home gutter system intact.
Clean and well maintained gutters add to your home’s sale-ability. And protect your home and foundation.
AAA Metal Works suggest that you clean your gutters at least twice a year or more, depending on the amount of trees in your yard. If your gutters are clogged with debris such as leaves and twigs, the rain will not run off or drain properly. In addition to the fact that the weight from the debris and the water that the gutters may hold will cause the gutter to become un-pitched or cause them to loosen from the fascia and eventually the gutter may come completely off the house. If your gutters have not been maintained for a while, it is possible that once they are cleaned out they will need to be re-secured and re-pitched to properly drain the water. It is also important to make sure that the rain isn’t spilling over the top of your gutter and onto your foundation. Over time this can cause damage to the home’s foundation.
Your gutters should be cleaned in the fall after all the leaves have fallen from the surrounding trees, and in the spring. While you’re cleaning your gutters you will want to inspect them for any holes or rust through. Make sure there are no loose nails. Check to make sure the gutters are securely fastened to the house.
After you have removed all the debris from the gutter you’ll want to rinse any remaining debris down the gutter and into the downspout with your garden hose. This will also help you to make sure that your downspout isn’t clogged with debris. If you find the water not running into the downspout you can remove the downspout, clean it and then reattach it.
Make sure that the water running out of the downspout is being properly diverted with the use of a plastic or concrete diverter. In certain situations downspouts are piped into an underground drainage system in either case you don’t want the water emptying out on the ground where it will cause erosion.
Gutter guard or gutter screen have become very popular and do away with the problem of having to clean your gutters, although they will still need two yearly inspections. While gutter guards prevent large leaves from entering the gutter they do not stop much smaller natural debris such as seeds, buds, small pieces of bark and twigs or evergreen needles. All this type of natural matter breaks down over time to form debris in your gutter. Also, debris can build up over the gutter guard screening that will have to be manually cleaned off.
Proper maintenance of your gutters each year will protect your gutters and improve the performance of your gutter. And in most cases extend the life of your gutters and downspouts.
AAA Metal Works
Metal roofing and gutters.
Scott Arvesen, Owner
770-222-9254
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