When to Clean Your Gutters

Your home is one of your most important investments, and your roof protects you and keeps you dry with help from the unsung heroes: your gutters. They keep the water and debris that runs off your roof away from your home. Because they work so hard, your gutters can get clogged all year round which causes damage to your foundation, basement, and the gutters themselves. Clogged gutters also cause mold, mildew, rot, and flooding. While a gutter is very useful in directing rain water away from the house, it can accumulate dry leaves and other debris causing it to clog. When there is too much debris in the gutter, it traps water and leads to the gutter rusting and breaking away. If the water does not drain from the gutter it can lead to ice damming and damage, forcing you to replace the gutter. Many small animals and insects can also decide to build nests and homes among the debris accumulated in the gutter, which is why it’s important to have the professionals at Pinnacle Roofing in charge of your gutter cleaning and maintenance. We’ve come up with a few facts and tidbits about gutters to give a broader understanding on why they’re so important to maintain. Let’s read on!

Clogged Gutters and Downspouts

Keeping water away from the foundation of your home is the main job of gutters. And when your gutters get clogged, that water has to go somewhere. It starts to drip down, which causes all sorts of problems. It can destroy your foundation, or end up seeping into your basement and causing colossal amounts of water damage. It can get in behind wood siding and rot the wood. It is extremely difficult to repair water damage in your home. You will also end up having to replace damaged items, which can cost a fortune.

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Mold and Mildew

Even if your gutters seem fine structurally, there could be another problem brewing inside the gutters. Mold and mildew can start to grow if you leave debris sitting in your gutters. Additionally, small animals such as squirrels and birds might decide to nest among the debris and leave their droppings in the gutter. The presence of organic matter and water also leads to mold. It spreads very quickly and can become a huge problem. It easily spreads to the inside of your home, causing a host of issues, including health problems. Mold can make you quite sick and many people are allergic to it. It’s best to stop it before it starts because it’s tricky and expensive to get rid of.

Roof Damage

The one thing most homeowners want to avoid replacing is their roof. It’s quite a disruptive process. Make sure your gutters are in good shape so your roof stays in good condition. Overflowing water can end up seeping onto the roof if you let those gutters get clogged. You’ll end up with leaks when this happens, which will cause damage to your roof and the inside of your home. Water damage is difficult and expensive to deal with, so don’t! Call Pinnacle Roofing today and let us take care of all your gutter worries.

Gutter Cleaning Schedule

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Is cleaning your gutters out once or twice a year nearly enough? No way! A good rule of thumb to remind you when it’s time to clean out your gutters is to pair it with another home-related task, such as swapping out the batteries in your smoke detector, changing the light bulbs on your porch, getting your vehicle’s tires rotated, paying your auto insurance premiums, or resetting your clocks for Daylight Saving Time. At Pinnacle Roofing, we have you covered 24/7. We’ve come up with some tips for proper gutter maintenance all year long:

  • Here’s what March looks like for your gutters: During the harsh winter months, late clinging leaves and branches fall on your roof and  get washed into your gutters. The storms also mean that you need your gutters re-nailed and leaders re-strapped. With April showers coming, it’s time to let Pinnacle Roofing clean, inspect and tune them up before any damage happens!
  • June is the right time: Spring is beautiful and a welcome sight after the harsh winter, but with it comes reproducing trees and  spreading seed pods, oak tassels, helicopters and other debris that end up in your gutters. This debris absorbs water and clogs your drains. So in June it’s a good time to give us a call for an After Spring Cleaning!
  • Late August: Summer thunderstorms rip the leaves right off the trees and leave them all over your roof. And then right into the gutter. You’ll want to have us come out and clean all that debris out before Labor Day.
  • September, October, and November: Everyone loves fall with football, the crisp air, and colorful changing leaves.
  • But your gutters do not like fall. All those falling leaves mean they need some real TLC. We’ll need to come clean them out in early fall, middle fall, and late fall—  before that winter freeze hits and locks the debris in your gutter for months.

Pinnacle Roofing has all the solutions for you! We take care of all your gutter cleaning needs year round. Pinnacle Roofing has the most highly trained and knowledgeable staff anywhere. Call us today to schedule an appointment or to get an estimate!