We’re well into the rainy season, and while it is true that there aren’t many things to do other than sit at home and enjoy some quality time while it’s pouring rain outside – you might want to do one thing to make sure your quality indoor time doesn’t end up uninterrupted.
We’re talking about inspecting your gutters. We know that gutter maintenance is often overlooked, but we really think that it shouldn’t be. Sure, it’s easy to forget about them. After all, it’s not like you’re looking at them all the time, but still – you should inspect them from time to time.
How often should you do it? Well, let’s find out together.
What Could Happen If You Don’t Inspect The Roof Gutters?
Before we get to the point, let us first tell you what could very easily happen if you don’t inspect your gutter regularly. Let’s start with the basics.
Leakage
The number one problem that will happen if you don’t inspect your gutters is leakage. The gutters and the downspout could easily get clogged with leaves, twigs or any other kind of debris. And, when the blockage occurs, the water will, instead of going down the downspout – leak everywhere.
Now, the biggest problem with this particular issue is that we don’t often notice this before it’s too late. After all, when it’s raining – everything’s wet. The water runs everywhere, and it can be quite easy to miss a leak that’s happening. However, with timely and proper inspection – this issue could be avoided.
Mould
You might think to yourself – what could mould do? It’s in the gutters – who cares? Well, we care. You see, when the leaves and other stuck debris starts to decompose and rot – mould will start to grow. Gutters are an ideal environment for mould growth. They’re wet and often dark, which is pretty much all the mould needs.
To be fair, mould in the gutters themselves won’t pose much of an issue for you. However, spores could find their way into your home, and if your home gets infested with mould – an array of bad things could happen. Not only will you be forced to spend money to get rid of the mould, but you and your loved ones could easily develop health issues.
Roof And Foundation Damage
The main purpose of the gutters and the downspout is to lead the excess water away from your home, and if you don’t inspect them regularly, the blockage could lead to leaks, and leaks could lead to roof and foundation issues.
Now, we’re going to go out on a limb and say you don’t want any of the two, right? Well, if you don’t – inspect the gutters. Roof and foundation damage will not only be quite expensive to repair, but it could also cause structural damage to your home, and if that happens – you will be in a world of trouble.
Improper drainage can be a cause of your home’s foundation settlement. Many homeowners do not know that the drainage of their homes can directly impact the foundation’s integrity. This can cause settlement and other foundation issues. French Drains are the best way to go when it comes to mitigating standing water and protecting the structural integrity of your foundation.
Pest Infestation
We’re sure you don’t want your house to become infested with pests, but if you leave your gutter be – we can’t guarantee it won’t. Decomposing and rotten leaves and debris will most certainly attract all kinds of unwanted guests like bugs or insects, and if we know one thing about these pests is that they will find a way to get into your home, and when they do – you’re screwed.
How Often Should You Inspect Your Roof Gutters?
Now that we’re done listing all the possible problems that could happen – let’s talk about prevention.
To make sure we deliver you with sound advice and accurate information, we’ve had a professional consultant help us with this article, and if you want to view more on what they have to say on the issues – be our guest. We, on the other hand, will try to make this brief.
So, how often should you inspect the gutters? Well, according to our experts, ideally, you’d want to inspect your gutter once or twice a year or after a heavy storm. Ideally, you’d want to inspect your gutters once in the early spring and once in the early fall.
Spring and fall bring a lot of rainfall, and it is before you get overwhelmed with constant rain that you should inspect the roof gutters. If not, you’re risking welcoming the rain season with clogged or damaged gutters, and that’s only going to lead to additional problems like the ones we mentioned a while ago, along with several other issues.
Finally, you should always inspect the gutters after a severe storm. Strong winds and heavy rainfall could easily drag all kinds of things into the gutters and the downspout, and unless dealt with immediately – they’ll make your life living hell.
How To Inspect And Clean The Gutters?
Well, as far as inspection goes – you have two options. You can either do it all by yourself, or you could call a professional to help you out. We’d always suggest the second option because professional inspection and cleaning crews might notice some things that would slip by you. But, if you’re confident in your eyesight and expertise, feel free to grab the ladders and inspect the gutters.
As far as cleaning goes, well, your options are the same. You can either do it all by yourself, or you could call a professional cleaning crew and have them finish the job in under an hour.
How To Clean The Gutters Yourself?
If, upon inspection, you notice that the gutters are dirty, clogged or blocked – you should clean them. And, if you want to do it all by yourself, at least allow us to give you some tips.
Always use safety gear – Protective goggles, gloves, secure ladder, and a good set of tools are a must.
Use a gutter scoop – We’re sure you wouldn’t mind using your hands to clean the gutter, but then again, why would you? Grab a gutter scoop and easily and effectively remove the debris that’s clogging your gutters.
Grab a house – Once you’re done with rough healing, you might want to grab a garden hose and just spray the gutters down and thoroughly clean them.
Conclusion
There you have it. Hopefully, we’ve managed to help you with this, and we sure hope you took our advice to heart. If you have – your roof gutters will never suffer.