When the winter snows melt away and the April showers are about to start, it helps to have your home’s rain gutters in top condition. Seasonal home maintenance is incomplete if you overlook your gutters.
Falling leaves and other items that are blown into your gutters are their biggest enemy. Dead leaves from the fall season and wintertime snow can pack a lot of leaves, branches, and general debris in your gutters. If you do not clean out your gutters before the springtime rains arrive, you could suffer from a lot more than rainy walkways.
Clogged Gutters Could Cause Many Problems
Your spring cleaning is incomplete without checking your gutters and cleaning them of all debris. If your gutters get clogged and start to overflow, it could damage the eaves and weaken your gutter connectors along the roofline. If left alone, the fascia board and eaves could begin to rot.
Some basic gutter cleaning tools can make it easy to remove the debris and general muck that can build up inside gutters. A pair of thick rubber gloves can help you to scoop out most of the dead leaves, branches, and mud that can accumulate in the gutters. A leaf blower is a great tool for removing leaves that fall into the gutters in the fall. It also could work in the spring during a good dry spell.
Check Downspouts for Proper Drainage
When the gutters become clogged, it is a virtual certainty that the downspouts are clogged, too. After all, the water flows to the downspouts and carries wet leaves, branches, and debris. When branches or small twigs land in the gutter, they could get stuck inside. As leaves and other bits of twigs and debris enter the downspout, it creates a plug that causes the water to back up in the downspout and gutters.
Some basic downspout and siding maintenance can help your home’s exterior stay in good shape and avoid damage from clogged downspouts that could cause damage to the siding. You can remove a plugged-up downspout and clean it out with a rake handle for the thick stuff and water from a hose for the rest. If the downspout is damaged, you should be able to find an affordable replacement.
Modifications Could Improve Downspouts and Gutters
It is also important to ensure the downspouts carry water away from your home. If water backs up against the foundation or basement walls, it could seep into your home. Adding extensions on the downspouts could help send the water farther away from your home for safe drainage.
You also could install gutter guards that prevent leaves, twigs, and branches from blowing into the gutters and causing a mess. The water still flows into the gutters from your rooftop, but it will not carry any debris in along with it. Gutter guards can prevent the wind from plugging your gutters and downspouts with leaves.