How often you clean your gutters depends on several factors, including how many trees overhang your house and how easily your gutters become clogged. For most, gutters need to be cleaned once or twice a year, which is a job usually done in the spring and fall. Keeping your gutters clean prevents roof issues like winter ice dam formation and water backflow underneath the shingles. Clean gutters also protect your foundation from water overflow off the roof.
1. Guard Maintenance
If your gutters have leaf guard screens over the top or rodent guards capping the downspouts, these must be removed before cleaning. Once removed, these must be cleaned of the small bits of debris that tends to get stuck in the mesh of the guards. These are typically cleaned by hosing them down with water, but they may be scrubbed lightly if there are stubborn stuck bits or algae stains on them.
2. Trough Cleaning
The main part of the cleaning process is scooping out the leaves and other debris that can collect in the gutters. If your gutters have effective guards, the debris buildup won't be severe. Your gutter cleaner will either scoop by hand while wearing gloves, or they will use a special soft scooping tool to remove the gunk. The removed debris will be piled on a tarp so it can be hauled off for disposal.
3. Downspout Clearing
Dead leaves and other debris can get into the downspouts just easily as it collects in the gutters. When this occurs, the gutters overflow at the corners where they meet the downspout. Usually, they can be cleaned by feeding a hose into the spout and forcing out the debris with the flowing water. Special downspout brushes may be needed to dislodge any debris that is stuck too severely to be easily rinsed out.
4. Final Flush
The final flushing of the gutters with a steady flow of water serves two purposes. First, it gets rid of any small bits of grime that remain in the troughs and downspouts. Just as importantly, the final flush allows your gutter service technician to check the troughs for any leaks along their length. Leaks typically occur at the seams, but sometimes pinprick-size holes may also form on the underside of the troughs.
5. Small Repairs
The last step of your gutter maintenance is to seal any leaks that are found with a silicone caulk. Then your technician will check all the hanger clips to make sure they are properly attached and replace any that are damaged. Finally, they will verify that the gutters are aligned properly to catch the flow of water off the roof and route it to the downspouts.
Contact a gutter cleaning company for more information.
