As a basic guideline, most rain gutters should be cleaned twice per year– once in the late Spring and again in the late Fall. That’s a general rule, but recommended frequency can be affected by the size, type, and location of your home, as well as the tree density around it (and types of trees). For example, houses bordered by trees might call for even more regular rain gutter cleaning, such as 3 or 4 times as year. Here in Sonoma County, if you have a lot of Douglas Fir trees around your house, you should probably be cleaning your gutters a minimum of 3 times per year.
FAQs
We have answers to your questions.
Actually, if you wait for your gutters to provide a physical indication that they require cleaning (e.g. roof runoff), it’s already too late and you’re opening the door to a world of problems. To stay clear of flooding and expensive repair jobs, it’s best to get on a proactive, routine maintenance schedule that is appropriate for your house. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
They absolutely can be — assuming you’d prefer that your residence’s structure not be harmed. When gutters and downspouts are clogged, they are unable to successfully funnel rainwater and moisture away from your house. This causes the collection and overrunning of water, which with time can result in roof leaks, structure damage, and/or water invasion in your cellar or crawl space…All of which equate to hugely expensive repairs that could have been easily prevented.
Not really. At the very least, it’s likely that your rain gutters will have to be cleaned at some point, unless you have installed gutter guards to prevent debris from entering the gutters in the first place. Regardless of where your house lies, dirt, debris, as well as basic gunk will tend to gradually collect over time.
Very carefully, preferably by experts trained in safety and security. Every year, the there are multiple news stories about a homeowner falling from a ladder or roof and being injured or worse. OSHA research study indicates that any type of fall from a height of more than six feet is likely to lead to fatality or major injury.
Chemical rain gutter cleaners were created to cleanse the beyond the gutters, and also should not be used on the inside of seamless gutters, nor should chemicals be flushed down the downspouts and into the home’s water drainage system. Make certain to review as well as comply with the label instructions on any product you choose, both in terms of application and disposal.
There are several reasons why you should get your gutters cleaned regularly. If gutters are not cleaned, they can become clogged with leaves, twigs, and other debris. This is not only a potential fire hazard for your home, but can also cause water to back up and overflow, which can damage your home’s foundation, siding, and landscaping. In addition, clogged gutters can create an ideal environment for mosquitoes, termites, and other pests.
While it’s certainly possible to try and do gutter cleaning on a do-it-yourself basis, it’s impossible to finish the job as efficiently and safely as a professional. In addition, after factoring in all the gear you’ll have to acquire to clean your gutter system effectively, you might also find that it would have been less expensive to have the pros do it in the first place. Consultations and estimates are free, so it simply makes good sense to chat with us before DIY’ing it.
It all comes down to the size of gutter system and the degree of debris within. Still, as a rule of thumb it will generally take a team of specialists between 30 and 90 mins to clean the gutters of a typical house. Still, that’s a lot faster than it would take you to do it on your own.
For a free quote, or to have your gutters cleaned, repaired, or installed by our expert team, fill out the form on this page or give us a call at (707) 335-7888.
