Roof and gutter cleaning are important parts of regular maintenance when you are a homeowner. Your rain gutter and downspout system are in place to help to protect your home and keep rainwater from getting areas of your home that shouldn’t have any moisture in them. As long as this system works the right way your home, lawn, and property will be protected.
If you allow your gutter system to fall into disrepair then you are just asking for your home to be damaged, and the damages that water can cause to your home can be very expensive to repair. Water getting into your home can cause damage to the frame, insulation, and wiring, and worst of all it will also cause toxic black mold to grow in your home.
Believe it or not, an improperly functioning gutter system can even damage your lawn, and in a very bad scenario end up infiltrating the foundation of your home, which during winter months can result in your foundation being cracked and damaged. The point here is that you need to make certain that roof and gutter cleaning is a priority unless you want to end up paying for expensive repairs to your home.
Why Roof Cleaning Is Just As Important As Gutter Cleaning
When debris gets trapped in your gutters it causes the flow of water to slow down and eventually stop. When this happens your gutters won’t work any longer, and that’s when you end up with damage to your home. So where do you think that all of the debris that gets into your gutters comes from? The vast majority of it comes from your roof.
Debris such as leaves, pine needles, bird droppings, insects, and dirt accumulate on your roof over time. When there is a rainstorm the water will push the debris down your roof and into your gutters. So if you are paying someone to clean your gutters, and they don’t clean your roof at the same time, then they really are only doing half of the job.
As soon as there is another storm all of the debris on your roof is going to be pushed right into your gutters, which will start the process of clogging them all over again.
While a dirty roof will lead to your gutters being clogged more frequently, that’s not the only problem you have to worry about if you aren’t paying attention to your roof and making sure it is cleaned on a regular basis. The shingles on a roof won’t last forever, but they will definitely last longer if they are kept clean and in good condition.
This is especially true if you have algae that grows on your roof. Algae will usually cause roof shingles to deteriorate at a faster rate, and in extreme cases, the algae can even spread to the frame of your home causing damage. While algae is a problem, the main issue that is likely to cause you problems is debris build up on your roof. The point here is that roof cleaning needs to be a priority because it is an essential part of keeping your home in good condition.
Regular Gutter Cleaning Is Very Important As Well
For anyone that isn’t aware of it keeping your rain gutters and downspouts free of debris is very important. Your rain gutter and downspout system were designed to help direct rainwater in a controlled manner so that it doesn’t end up in places you don’t want it. In fact, if your gutters and downspouts are designed the right way you can even use them to water your lawn.
What you have to remember is that no matter how well your gutters were designed and installed, if they end up clogged with debris and other types of muck they aren’t going to be able to do their job. When this happens you are going to end up with the types of problems that no homeowner ever wants to have to deal with.
Rain gutter cleaning is something that you should schedule on a regular basis. Much like you take your car in for an oil change on a schedule, you need to treat your rain gutters and roof with the same type of care by scheduling regular cleaning as well. How often should you have someone come out and clean your roof and gutters?
That’s going to depend on the area you live in, how much debris accumulates on your roof, and the amount of rain that you get. For areas where there is a lot of rain and a lot of leaves and other types of debris, you are going to need your gutters and roof cleaned frequently. The best way to ensure that you have your gutters and roof cleaned frequently enough is to call a professional out and consult with them.
What Happens When Your Roof And Gutters Aren’t Cleaned And Maintained On A Regular Basis?
When you don’t have your roof and gutters cleaned frequently you will end up with a buildup of muck in your gutters that slows down and eventually blocks water from flowing. At first, you may not notice a problem since water will still keep flowing.
But over time as the blockage gets worse, you will probably notice water starting to overflow over the edges of your gutter. Water may continue to flow out or your downspouts, but the minute that you have enough of a blockage to allow water to start flowing over the sides of your gutter you are looking at a serious issue that demands immediate attention.
When you have a major blockage one of the things you have to be most concerned about is the possibility of structural failure in your gutter. This is especially true during cold winter months when ice can build up. This is not just an issue due to it necessitating a repair, it’s an issue because it’s a hazard.
If your gutter fails and falls it could hit someone causing serious injuries. So if things have gotten to the point where there is water flowing over the edge or your gutter you need to take action immediately in order to avoid a potentially dangerous situation.
Another thing you need to worry about if you have a blockage in your gutter is the fact that it will place added stress to the fascia, which is the board on your home that your gutter is mounted on. When this happens it can also result in structural damage, which can lead to a failure of your gutter. When this happens you will be dealing with the same kind of hazard as a collapsing gutter since the failing fascia will often cause the gutter to fall, which could lead to an injury.
If you are fortunate enough to avoid a catastrophic failure of your gutter system you still have to worry about a smaller scale failure that will often allow water to seep into parts of your home you don’t ever want water getting into. This leads to a variety of problems, including toxic black mold. The biggest problem with a smaller scale failure is that it can allow water to seep into your home undetected for a long period of time. That can lead to a lot of damage, which can be put a big dent in your bank account.
Why Hiring A Roof And Gutter Cleaning Company Is A Good Investment
If you are thinking of trying to clean your roof and gutters yourself, you should keep in mind that this is a much bigger job than most people realize. You not only have to climb up and down a ladder, and stick your hands into the disgusting muck, you also have to find a way to clean your roof as well.
The easiest way is to get up on your roof and use a pressure washer attachment on your water hose to spray it down. While this can be effective, it can also be quite hazardous. If you slip and all while spraying off your roof you could easily suffer serious injuries.
When you hire a professional roof and gutter cleaning company you are going to enjoy a number of benefits. First, you won’t have to be working up on a ladder which can be potentially dangerous. Second of all, a professional roof and gutter cleaning company will not only be able to do a more thorough job than you can, they can also spot potential problems ahead of time so that they can be taken care of before they lead to more costly problems.
Ultimately what you have to realize is that the cost of having roof cleaning and gutter cleaning done by a professional really is not that substantial. When you think about how much hard work you are avoiding, coupled with the fact that a professional will do a better job than you can, it should be clear that hiring a professional is the best way to keep your gutters in top working condition.
