Gutter Cleaning Mt Pleasant SC is a crucial home maintenance task that helps avoid water damage to walls, doors and the foundation of your house. It also prevents clogged gutters.
Gutter cleaning involves climbing a ladder and scooping debris out of the gutters into bags, then moving the ladder to another section and repeating. It also includes flushing and testing the downspouts to ensure proper flow.
Gutters aren’t the most pleasant of home maintenance tasks – they’re usually a mucky and time-consuming job that involves climbing up a ladder. And, unfortunately, they’re often ignored, which can lead to serious damage to your roof, siding and foundation. Gutters are designed to safely remove rainfall and melting snow through downpipes that release water a safe distance away from your property’s foundation. But, if your gutters are full of debris that doesn’t leave room for this drainage, the water might spill over and cause damage to your home.
Clogged gutters can be caused by a variety of things, including leaves, moss, pine needles and other debris that gets washed down from surrounding trees. If you’ve recently cleared the gutters of these materials but still have overflowing water, you may need to clear out the downspouts as well. Start by checking the downspouts during a rainstorm and see if water is flowing through. If it isn’t, you may have a pitch problem that requires adjustments to the gutters themselves.
Other signs of overflowing water are stains on the outside of your home, such as paint or wallpaper streaks and dampness inside your walls. Moisture can seep through wall materials and cause cracking, warping or mold.
Overflowing gutters can also indicate that the gutter system is deteriorating and needs repair or replacement. If you notice a loose gutter section or sagging, you should replace it immediately to avoid structural damage and water leaks.
Gutter cleaning isn’t a one-time task – you should clean or hire someone to do it regularly, especially after heavy storms. A professional company will clean your gutters and downpipes using high-pressure hoses to ensure that all the debris is removed. In addition to preventing blockages, gutter cleaning helps protect your roof and foundation by averting flood damage and soil erosion. Depending on the size of your house, you should plan on cleaning your gutters once or twice a year. For a long-term solution, consider installing gutter guards that will cut down on the need for regular cleaning.
Plants and Weeds
Gutters are designed to collect and guide rainwater away from the building, preventing structural damage. They may not be high on your list of home improvement priorities but it is important to keep them in good working order to avoid expensive repairs.
The wind blows a surprising amount of plant seeds, twigs and debris into guttering. If left wet for extended periods, this debris starts to decompose. This compost provides the perfect environment for grass, weed and tree saplings to start growing. Once established, these unwelcome visitors can cause a host of problems, especially if they clog the gutters.
Overflowing and clogged gutters can cause fascia boards, rafter tails and roof sheathing to rot or become waterlogged. The weight of the accumulated debris can also cause gutters to loosen and pull away from the house. This can be very dangerous if kids or pets are around.
Regular gutter cleaning will prevent a build up of weeds and unwanted plants in the first place. Gutter cleaning companies use special high reach carbon fibre gutter vacuums to quickly and easily remove any clumps of plants that are starting to grow within the guttering.
Weeds in the gutters can also block out sunlight, making it more difficult for other vegetation to grow and thrive. This is why it is important to schedule your gutter cleaning ahead of the predominate weather conditions for your area.
While many property owners choose to clean their own gutters, it is always recommended to leave the job to a professional who has access to specialist equipment. Using these powerful tools, they can safely and efficiently clear out your entire guttering system and ensure that the downpipes are free to flow. Ideally, properties should have their gutters cleaned before the primary leaf and twig fall and again in autumn to prepare for winter. However, this depends on a number of factors such as the environment surrounding the property and the severity of local rainfall. Some homes may require more frequent gutter cleaning if they are in an area with high winds or with overhanging trees.
Pests
Gutter systems are designed to direct rainwater away from the house, but they can also become home to many different kinds of pests. This is particularly true when they’re clogged or filled with debris, because these conditions offer an ideal environment for insects and other pests to thrive. This makes it especially important to keep gutters clean and to have them cleaned regularly.
Several kinds of pests can make their homes in dirty gutters, including carpenter ants, termites, hornets, wasps, and mites. This is because these pests love the moist, dark environments of clogged or overflowing gutters. They can cause a wide range of problems, from causing damage to the roof and house structure to creating health hazards by spreading disease and irritating allergies.
It’s also possible for gutters to become infested with plants and weeds. The nutrient-rich materials in clogged or overflowing gutters are an ideal breeding ground for grass, weeds, and other plants. This can be a problem, as these plants and weeds can then begin to overtake the gutters and the surrounding area. A professional can remove these plants and weeds to help protect the health of your yard and the overall appearance of your home.
Rodents, such as roof rats and mice, can also make their homes in gutters when they’re full of debris. These rodents are excellent climbers and can easily scurry into the space between the roof and the gutter to nest and breed. They can also chew on wires, insulation, and wood, causing significant structural damage. These critters can also carry serious diseases, such as leptospirosis and hantavirus, which pose health hazards to your family.
Regular gutter cleaning is an effective way to reduce the number of pests that can take up residence in these deteriorating structures. In addition to removing the clumps of leaves, twigs, and other items that can attract them, a professional can install gutter guards to prevent debris from entering the gutter system in the first place. This can be an inexpensive and effective method of keeping your gutters safe from the kinds of pests that can cause major issues for your home.
Damage
Clogged gutters can lead to overflowing water, which damages the siding and foundation of a home or building. It can also saturate or flood basements, causing mold, mildew and other health problems. It can also damage landscaping, including choking or washing away plant roots and suffocating flower beds.
Gutters can become clogged with leaves, twigs, seed pods, and blossoms as well as with smaller pieces of debris such as pebbles, shingle fragments, pine needles, and sand. Professional gutter cleaners are trained to navigate the challenges of these situations and can often remove large amounts of debris without harming your landscape.
A clean, functioning gutter system funnels rainwater, dirt and debris down into the troughs and away from the foundation of your home. Without it, water can back up behind your fascia board or roof shingles and cause damage to the exterior of your house. It may also cause basement flooding, leaks in your walls and floors, mold, rot, or erosion.
Gutter cleaning should be done regularly, at least twice per year, or more frequently after heavy storms. If your yard is surrounded by trees, they will shed their branches and leaves throughout the year, contributing to gutter debris buildup. Additionally, if your gutters are old and worn, they will be more likely to get clogged.
It’s always a good idea to hire a professional to handle gutter cleaning, especially if your home is tall or has multiple stories. Climbing a ladder for extended periods of time can wear on a person, and the precarious position of trying to reach high sections of a gutter can easily lead to a fall. Even with a sturdy ladder, it’s easy to lose balance and drop a tool or the gunk you are trying to clear from your gutters. A professional knows how to work efficiently and carefully on ladders of all sizes, and will have a helper who can hold the ladder when necessary. He or she will also know what type of gutter your home has and what cleaning solution is safe to use.