The maintenance of the roof and gutters goes hand in hand. When you neglect one, the other one gets affected, ultimately damaging the life of your house. It’s essential to keep elements like the roof and gutters from water damage and structural damage. It will save you from costly repairs and inconvenience due to leaky roofs and damaged gutters.
Regular maintenance is key to having healthy roof elements. Removing dirt, debris, and twigs from the roof drainage pipes and gutter tubes will allow water to freely flow to the main sewage system. You don’t have to worry about extreme care for the roof if you regularly inspect its condition and take necessary action.
As part of roof maintenance, cleaning gutters is essential, and it needs to be done regularly. Many professionals offer efficient gutter cleaning in Melbourne, allowing busy homeowners to maintain their gutters hassle-free. Healthy gutters mean your home is safe from water damage, leaky roofs and puddle formation on the ground. You can avoid costly or unexpected repairs when you clean your gutters regularly.
In this blog, you will understand the importance of healthy gutters and how they can extend the life of the roof.
- Water Damage Prevention
The primary purpose of gutter pipes is to navigate rainwater away from your roof and foundation. The path of gutters leads to your main sewage system so that the rainwater is directed towards it. However, if the gutters are filled with leaves, dirt and debris, the water gets stuck, resulting in a number of problems. Water damage becomes a real thing with the prolonged stagnation of rainwater in gutters. You can see problems arising like leaky roofs, rotten wood, and mould and mildew growth.
Regular cleaning will help water to freely flow in gutters. Thus, it keeps the roof dry and damage-free.
- Protection against ice dams
Another great problem of water stagnation in gutters is the formation of ice dams. In colder months, the water that is stuck freezes, doubling the weight formed inside the gutters. It damages the gutters, causing cracks and holes in the pipes. These ice dams also lift shingles, tear gutters away, and seep melted water into the roof. So, it’s essential to clean the gutters before winter hits in your region. You can avoid ice damage and costly repairs associated with it.
- No risk of pest infestations
When the gutters are filled with dirt and debris, it becomes home to pests like birds, mosquitoes, ants and rodents. Your gutters become a habitat for these creatures, creating inconvenience and an unhygienic environment at your home. some pests are even capable of gnawing through wood, causing severe damage. When you regularly clean the gutters, you can avoid pest infestation, thus saving your gutters and home from unwanted attention and costly repairs.
- Save gutters from sagging
Clogged gutters lead to sagging over time. As they are filled with heavy, standing water, the gutters will come off their joints, damaging fascia and lead to loosening of roof tiles. Cleaning the gutters will help remove the dirt and debris from the pipes, thus protecting them from sagging. Regular gutter cleaning can save you a lot of money as you can avoid many unwanted repairs.
- Maintain your roof warranty
Do you know that roofing warranties require a clean and properly maintained roof? It also includes clean and damage-free gutters. If you neglect gutter cleaning, your roof warranty expires, which means you are left unprotected against expensive repairs. Never neglect cleaning your roof and gutters so that you can have a better claim for expensive repairs that might come in future.
How Many Times Should You Clean the Gutters?
The right frequency depends on how much waste is accumulated in your gutters. As a general rule, you need to clean them twice a year, especially in spring and autumn. As these are the seasons that have a high rate of leaf fall, you should see that you clean them properly during those days. You should also increase the frequency if your house is surrounded by heavy trees or if rainfall is more frequent. If you have not cleaned the gutters for a long time, consider hiring professionals for a thorough roof gutter cleaning so that there is no room for error. Don’t hesitate to call in experts if you think you can’t handle the cleaning of your gutters.
Final thoughts
When compared to house and roof cleaning, cleaning the gutters might seem like a small job. However, you have to know the importance and dangers associated with not cleaning so that you can do timely maintenance. Clean gutters help prolong the life of the roof as there will be no water or puddle formation on the roof surface. You don’t need to drain your wallet for unwanted repairs that arise due to uncleaned gutters and roof.