Does your home have gutters? We certainly hope so. If a home doesn’t have a properly functioning gutter system, it’s at risk for severe damage. Foundation damage, soil erosion, roof damage, basement flooding, and more can happen without a proper drainage system. Even with a gutter system, homes can get water damage from faulty or clogged gutters.
Half-round gutter systems and systems with gutter screens or filters must be well maintained to perform their best. If you’re unsure how to care for your gutter system, continue reading to learn about some tips for gutter maintenance so you can have it functioning well and prolong its lifespan.
Gutter Maintenance Tips
Having a traditional or sectional gutter system without a hood or guard requires homeowners to frequently clean and inspect their gutters for damage. How often should you clean them, and what damage should you look for? Here are some gutter maintenance tips:
Clean Gutters Regularly
Cleaning gutters often is paramount to the way they function to properly collect and drain water away from the roof and divert it away from a home’s foundation. What happens when a gutter system is left to sit and collect debris?
For one, they can clog. Clogged gutters can be a nightmare for homeowners. Why? Clogs occur when debris like leaves and pine needles build up and form a blockage inside the gutter system. A blockage impedes water flow, forcing the water inside the gutter to flow over the sides and remain inside the gutter system. Clogs present multiple dangers in a couple of different ways: water that flows over the sides of the gutter can damage your landscaping and foundation, and water that remains inside the gutter can damage your roof and put unnecessary weight on the gutter system, causing them to tear away from the home.
It’s paramount for the gutter system’s functionality and your home’s safety that you clean them regularly. It’s recommended to clean gutters at least twice a year, more if trees surround your roofline. The use of a ladder is required, so use extreme caution. Here’s a quick gutter cleaning guide:
- Gather gloves, a ladder, a scoop, a bucket, and a garden hose
- Climb the ladder, and moving it frequently and around the perimeter of your home, remove debris inside the gutter by hand and with the scoop
- Once you remove debris by hand, use the garden hose to flush out any remaining debris, like silt and rocks, that are hard to remove
Periodically Check for Damage
Your gutters are out of sight, out of mind for the most part, right? Not! Just like periodically checking your home’s exterior for storm damage or wear and tear, you should inspect your gutter system often to ensure there’s no damage. What should you be looking for?
If you have sectional gutters, you’ll want to check for leaks, small openings between sections, dents, and rusting. Leaks can occur at any section of the gutter system, whether the gutters or downspouts, so you’ll want to inspect your gutter system periodically. Rusting gutters means the material is wearing down, eventually causing holes and cracks in the system. Leaks can cause foundation damage, and dents can slow down or impede water flow.
Gutter repair companies can inspect and repair damage to your gutter system, depending on the severity of the damage. A professional can determine if your system needs repairing or replacing. Inspecting your gutters often can help prolong the life of your gutter system, catching issues before they get worse.
Inspect Gutter Guards/Screens/Filters
Some homeowners think that if they have gutter guards, screens, or filters installed over their half-round gutters, they don’t need to perform any gutter maintenance. Unfortunately, most gutter guards have a flat top, allowing debris that is blocked from entering the gutters to sit and collect on the guard, putting excess weight on the gutter system. It’s a good idea to check your gutter guards for debris that collects on the surface.
Gutter screens and filters sound like a great idea but they require frequent maintenance. Tiny seeds can get trapped in between some gutter screens and gutter filters, potentially entering the gutters and creating a blockage. Gutter screens and filters can sprout little trees and seeds if never cleaned; all a plant or weed needs to grow is a seed, soil, sunlight, and water, all of which are readily available inside a gutter system that can trap seeds.
Permanent Gutter Solution
If you’re tired of performing routine maintenance on your gutter system or hiring a professional gutter cleaning service multiple times a year, consider installing a permanent gutter solution. The K-Guard® System is a full system with components that work together to keep all debris out and off the system, never allowing the chance of trapped debris and clogs to form.
How does K-Guard® work? Unlike gutter screens, guards, and filters that are installed directly over a half-round gutter system, K-Guard® is a seamless and full system with gutters, downspouts, and a curved hood. Our curved hood blocks all debris from entering the system while allowing debris to simply slide off, never allowing it to sit and collect on top of the system.
One of the best features of the K-Guard® Leaf Free Gutter System is you’ll never need to perform gutter maintenance again! Because debris can’t enter the system and can’t collect on top of the gutter, it falls off the system while only allowing water to enter the gutters through a narrow opening. You’ll never need to clean your gutters again when you install the K-Guard® System!
K-Guard®™ also comes with a lifetime warranty that protects your investment. Our lifetime warranty ensures your gutter system’s paint will never chip or fade, the system will never clog, and you’ll never need to perform gutter maintenance again. No other gutter system on the market can match the durability, capacity, performance, and warranty of K-Guard®™.
If you’re ready to switch to lifetime K-Guard® Gutters, contact our team today.
We’ll be happy to schedule a free estimate and provide you with a detailed analysis of your current gutter system and a quote for installing our K-Guard® Gutters.