Let’s talk gutter cleaning. Gutter cleaning is one of the least well-known and most overlooked home maintenance tasks. It can be tough for homeowners to know when to get their gutters cleaned, how often, or why it’s even important in the first place. This is totally fair and we totally get it.
So, we wanted to provide a resource for you, our customers. In this blog post, we’ll go over 7 signs that your gutters are clogged and then we’ll discuss why it’s so important for you to get professional gutter cleaning ASAP if they are. We don’t want any of our valued customers to have to deal with the extremely expensive damages that can occur if their gutters are not properly cleaned.
Although, as a general rule, gutters should be professionally cleaned at least twice a year – once in the spring and once in the fall – we understand that this doesn’t always happen. If you’re seeing any of these 7 signs around your home or on your gutters themselves, give our team a call as soon as you can.
Let’s get right into it.
Signs Your Gutters Need a Professional Cleaning:
1. You’re noticing more small animals and bugs around your roofline and gutters.
If you begin to notice more bugs, birds, bees, squirrels, or other small pests around your gutters, roofline, and spouts, you may have an infestation on your hands. When homeowners do not get regular gutter cleaning services, small animals take this as an open invitation.
Dirty gutters or neglected gutters look like big flashing signs that say ‘BUILD A HOME HERE’ to birds, bugs, bees, squirrels, and other small animals. If you begin to see Al the squirrel running in and out of your downspouts or gutters frequently, there’s a pretty high possibility that him and his family have set up shop inside.
2. There’s water spilling over the edges of your gutters.
If water is spilling over the edges of your gutters, it’s not going where it’s supposed to go – down and away from the house. Gutters and downspouts are designed to expel water from your home to maintain the integrity of the foundation and siding.
Water spilling over the sides of your gutters is water that is trying to escape but can’t find a way to the downspouts. This essentially means that, somewhere further down the gutter or downspout, there’s a blockage.
3. You’re not seeing a lot of water come out the bottom of your gutters when it rains.
Again, if the water isn’t coming out where it’s supposed to come out, there’s a stoppage somewhere else that’s causing this. Water may not be spilling over the edges of your gutters just yet, but if it’s raining heavily and you’re only seeing a small dribble of water coming out of the bottom of your downspouts, there’s something wrong.
(And… it’s time to get your gutters professionally cleaned!)
4. You’re seeing leaks or water damage inside your home.
This is where things take a turn for the worse. If this is the sign you’re seeing, the clogged gutters are getting pretty serious. When water builds up in your gutters and cannot go down the downspouts and away from your home, it can begin to slowly leak into your roof and ceiling and then eventually down your walls.
If you’re noticing water damage or leaks around the perimeter of the rooms in your home, make sure to check your gutters and get them professionally cleaned – they’re very likely the problem.
5. Your gutters are sagging/bending away from your roofline.
Water is very heavy. Water-saturated branches, leaves, debris, dirt, and more are a LOT heavier. Gutters and eavestroughs are designed to hold the weight of running water but are definitely not set up to hold built up gunk AND water.
When your gutters have not been professionally cleaned in a while, the plants, sand, dirt, and other debris that has accumulated in them can become extremely heavy. When it does, your gutters can begin to sag, bend, and even pull away from and damage your roof itself.
This is a very clear sign of clogged, overfilled gutters.
6. The side of your home is becoming bubbled, discoloured, rusted, stained, etc.
Your siding – yet another place that the water can go if it is blocked from going where it should be going. If water can’t flow properly down the gutters and downspouts, it can begin to get into your siding, causing rusting, discoloration, stains, or bubbles. (This can become super expensive to fix!)
7. You cannot remember the last time that you got them cleaned
If you haven’t seen any of the above 6 signs in or around your home or gutters but can’t remember when you got your gutters cleaned last, it’s time to get them cleaned. If this essential home maintenance task is overlooked over half a year or more, all of these other signs won’t be far behind.
So, rather than waiting for the more serious, more expensive damages or problems to start coming to your attention, get ahead of it! If you can’t recall when you last called up Shine Above for your professional gutter cleaning, it’s probably time to do it again.
Why It’s Important to Get a Professional Gutter Cleaning ASAP:
Okay. Your gutters are clogged. You’ve seen one or many of the above signs. But why is it so important to get a professional gutter cleaning as soon as possible?! What’s the rush??
As we mentioned above, there are many very expensive (and very annoying) damages that can occur if homeowners do not get professional gutter cleaning services. Additionally, clogged gutters can cause safety issues for you and your family around your home.
Here at Shine Above, we want you to know how frustrating, expensive, and damaging these problems can be so that you will understand the importance of regular professional gutter cleaning services.
So, what can clogged gutters cause?!
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Damage to your gutters themselves
As we discussed above, when gutters are clogged, they become incredibly heavy. When the begin to bend, sag, and pull away from the roofline of your home, you will have to spend the big bucks to fix or replace them.
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Damage to the foundation of your home
This starts with cracks or mold but can lead to more serious deterioration or even eventual collapse of the foundation of your home!
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Damage to the siding of your home
Water running down the siding of your home can cause mold, staining, rot, or deterioration. This not only damages the integrity of your home but can also be incredibly expensive to fix.
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Flooding or leaking inside of your home
If the water is running onto your roof or into your walls, it can begin to cause water damage and leakages that can eventually lead to something as serious as a flooded basement. Not only will this damage your belongings and home, but it will mean you have to invest a lot of money to get your basement back to proper condition.
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Pest infestations
Once bugs, birds, bees, squirrels, or other pests have set up their nests or homes inside of your gutters, it can be incredibly difficult to get them out of there for good. You’ll find yourself spending a lot of time and exerting a lot of effort to try to get rid of them.
Additionally, once the bugs or animals or bees have made themselves comfortable in your gutters, they may begin to explore other housing options such as your garage, your walls, your roof, or other spots that can become extremely annoying and expensive to remove them from.
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Damages to your yard and landscaping.
If water becomes built up in the wrong areas of your yard due to clogged gutters, it can cause expensive (and annoying) damages to the landscaping and gardens in them. Garden boxes can rot, plants can die from overwatering, and big puddles can form.
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Dangerous icy walkways
When winter comes around, if your gutters cannot drain properly because they’re clogged, they can cause a lot of ice buildup in all the wrong places. Your walkways can become overly icy and slippery from pooled water that then freezes. Additionally, dangerously large icicles can form if water is not draining properly, which can become a major safety hazard as they fall.
If you can’t remember when you last had your gutters cleaned or are seeing any of these other signs around your home, don’t hesitate to reach out! Make sure that you get your gutters professionally cleaned before it’s too late.
Recognized as one of the best gutter cleaning companies in Edmonton, we want to help you save the stress, time, and money that these possible damages and safety issues can bring up. Call our team of gutter cleaning professionals today at 780-651-1533 to book your gutter cleaning appointment.