Ensuring that your gutters and downspouts are regularly cleaned and maintained is an important way to prevent problems with your home. Why is that? One reason is that just a few inches of rain on your roof can produce thousands of gallons of water runoff. That’s a lot of water! If all that water does not drain away from the home properly it can cause many of the issues frequently associated with water intrusion, like mold and wood rot. With that in mind, here are a few tips for cleaning and maintaining your gutter system:


If you decide to take on the task of cleaning the gutters yourself, make sure you are well prepared and take every safety precaution. It is always a good idea to have someone with you who can support the ladder, etc. You will likely be clearing a lot of debris out of the gutters, some of which could be sharp. There may even be insects and small animals hiding in there, so make sure you have on protective gloves to protect your hands and arms.


Gutter cleaning generally requires you to use a lot of water. To prevent this water from saturating the soil around the foundations of your home, make sure it is diverted well away from the house.


Don’t forget to give the downspouts a thorough check. Very often, downspouts get mistakenly installed upside down, which can result in leaks. You should also make sure they have not been damaged by vehicles that have hit them accidentally. Finally, check that they are fixed securely to the house and connected to the gutters.

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