The importance of keeping your gutters clean cannot be overstated. If you let your gutters get out of control, they can begin growing mold, lead to damage to your home, and result in flooding. Your gutters redirect water away from your house so, naturally, if they get clogged up, it creates a barrier, and water builds up until it pours out of the side and goes wherever it wants to.
That’s why knowing when to clean your gutters is vital knowledge any homeowner should have. This article aims to provide you with this very knowledge so you can avoid extremely costly issues down the road.
Time Has Passed
If you haven’t cleaned your gutters out in such a long time that you don’t even know when it was, chances are they’re due for a cleaning.
Plant Growth
Due to nearby trees and the wind carrying pieces of plants from further away, gutters end up with seeds in them. If these seeds remain in the gutter instead of getting carried away by water, they will probably end up growing.
Clogged gutters are perfect for plant life to thrive. They are full of organic material, get plenty of water in them, and they usually get abundant sunshine. This is a very obvious sign your gutters are in dire need of cleaning.
Saggy Gutters
If your gutters are starting to sag and look like they’re falling, it is vital that you clean them out or have them professionally cleaned immediately.
Not only are your gutters clogged in this case, but they have been clogged for so long that the twigs, leaves, growing plants, and other debris inside them is starting to weigh them down. If you let this go on for too long, it can lead to gutter damage and cause damage to your house.
Stains on Your Siding
If you notice that there are stain marks on the siding of your house, this is a sign that your gutters are full of water and, thus, draining improperly. You can assume that they are not draining completely because they are being obstructed by debris, resulting in water spilling over onto your siding.
It’s time for a gutter cleaning in this case.
Water Spilling Out
If you actually notice water spilling out of the sides of your gutters, this is a clear sign, once again, that there is debris creating a barrier or several barriers in your gutters, keeping water from flowing through properly.
Standing Water
It is very important to get your gutters cleaned if you happen to notice a lot of water standing by your house’s foundation. It is a sign that water from your gutters is not being redirected appropriately. This can eventually lead to flooding in your basement, which is an issue no homeowner wants to deal with as it can result in structural damage.
Pre-Winter Cleaning
If you live in a location that has cold winters, it’s important to clean out your gutters before winter hits. If your gutters are full of water and it freezes when it’s cold outside, it can expand and result in gutter damage.