Why Is Fall Gutter Cleaning Important?

10/11/2017 (Permalink)

If you fail to prepare… SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle will be there

Cleaning Gutters Is Essential To Property Maintenance In Delaware City, DE

Water is your home’s enemy. It will flood, rot, mildew, and destroy your home if you allow it. Your home has defenses against water damage. Your roof is its first, but not only, line of defense. Your gutter system provides a vital secondary line of defense to warding off water damage. Gutters keep your home’s perimeter from becoming waterlogged and potentially leaking into the basement or causing other damage to the structure, as well as surrounding landscaping.

Gutters…And Why They Should Matter To You.

How do gutters work?

Protecting your foundation is your gutter system’s main purpose. Ideally, water should be diverted a minimum of ten feet from the foundation, but that can vary, depending on the grade of the lawn. Over time, without properly working gutters, water would cause cracks to form which can potentially collapse your home’s foundation. Even if the foundation stays intact, mold can still grow which can be a nuisance to remove. Other structural damage may occur as well if your gutters are not properly maintained.

What could happen if I don’t care for my gutters?

• Gutters are secured to your home on a fascia board. When gutters overflow, fascia boards are the first part of your home to be damaged. When your fascia board is rotten, the entire gutter needs to be removed in order to replace the board, which is a fairly costly mistake.

• Wood rot from overflowing gutters can destroy windows, doors and even entire walls.

• Your home’s landscaping can also be a victim of poor gutter maintenance. When gutters are clogged and water overflows, trenches are created in flowerbeds and small bushes and flowers can be killed by the cascading water.

• Ice dams can cause serious damage to your home. When an ice dam gets large enough, melted water backs up behind it and seeps underneath the shingles. Sooner or later, it will make its way into the insulation and down to the ceilings and exterior walls, under the eaves, ruining sheetrock and paint. If the ice dam breaks free, it can pull shingles and gutters off with it, and it will damage anything it falls on: shrubs, windowsills, cars, pets, and people. If the roof sheathing stays wet, it can form mildew and start to rot.

When should my gutters be cleaned?

Living in an area that has both falling leaves in Autumn, and tree pollen and seedlings in the spring, most homes in New Castle County, DE need to clean the debris from the gutters twice a year. If you have no trees taller than your roof, you might be able to get away with only an annual inspection of the gutter system. If you have trees taller than your gutters, anywhere close to your home, you most likely will need your gutters cleaned twice or even three times a year.

Ideal time for cleaning gutters vary from property to property and depends on a few factors.

1. The type of trees on your property greatly effects when leaves shed.

Examples

Evergreens: Even though they look like they are covered in   leaves all year, evergreens are not always green. Needles die, turn brown, and fall every year. Most properties with heavy evergreen coverage in New Castle County, DE need their gutters cleaned at least twice in the Fall; once in September and again in late November.

Deciduous Trees: They shed their leaves all at once after changing colors every Fall. These trees drop their leaves in a short time frame and most trees in our area are clear of leaves in early December marking the time to clean the gutters.

2. The temperature, sunlight, and soil moisture greatly influence when the leaves fall.

Mild & Warm Fall: Expect the leaves to stay on the trees a couple weeks longer.

Cold & Dry Fall: The leaves will typically shed much earlier.

Cleaning gutters is essential to proper home maintenance. If cleaned too soon, you will find yourself cleaning them multiple times. The easiest way to know when it’s time to clean your gutters this Fall is to look out your window. When the leaves are gone and you can see the sky beyond the trees, it’s time to clean your gutters.   See Other Fall Cleaning Tips

If clogged gutters have caused damage to your home call SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle, De Today! (302) 392-6000

SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle, DE  understands the stress and worry that comes with a fire or water damage and the disruption it causes your life and in your home or business. Our goal is to help minimize the interruption to your life and quickly make it "Like it never even happened."

SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle, DE specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial properties after a fire damage, smoke damage, water damage and/or mold contamination, as well as provides trauma cleanup, vandalism cleanup, carpet cleaning and duct cleaning services for your home or business.

Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration. From initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certifications, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge and experience to restore your property. With a nationwide system of qualified franchises, no damage is too large or too small for SERVPRO of Bear/New Castle, DE.

If you would like to schedule service for your home or business, please call us at (302) 392-6000 today!

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