Most homeowners don’t think about maintaining their gutters too much. Oftentimes, they forget all about it until it’s the rainy season again and the gutters are clogged. If you want your gutters to stay well-maintained all-year-round, here are the common mistakes that you need to avoid:
1. Inadequate or infrequent cleaning
In Salt Lake City and other areas with a four-season climate, roof rain gutters often get filled with water, leaves, snow, and debris all-year-round. Hence, if you don’t clean your gutters frequently or adequately enough, debris and rain can accumulate and cause damage to your house’s structure. Moreover, excessive leaves, twigs, and branches in your gutters can attract pests and other types of animals that can wreak havoc on your roof.
2. Ignoring small signs of damage
A small patch of mold or a tiny leak in your gutters don’t seem to be a cause of a concern, do they? Well, they are, and ignoring these seemingly small problems can cost you a bigger repair bill in the long run. If you see any small gutter problems, such as mold, leaks, cracks, and other signs of damage, address the issue immediately to prevent it from getting worse.
3. Not flushing downspouts
Just as you should clean your gutters frequently, you should also flush your downspouts to get rid of clogs that can make the water back up. If you notice that the water is not traveling smoothly from the top of the downspout to the bottom, use a long stick (or plumber’s snake) to remove clogs that might be stuck.
4. Using strong chemicals
Avoid using cleaners with harsh chemicals to clean your gutters. Strong chemicals can strip your gutters of their finishes and damage your house’s exteriors when they drip down eventually.
5. Positioning your ladder improperly
Some homeowners cause inadvertent damage to their gutters when they position ladders the wrong way. If you want to clean your gutters, make sure your ladder is leaning on the wall itself instead of the gutters. Otherwise, the weight of the ladder can bend or crush your gutters when it leans too much on it, especially when you start climbing up.
6. Not pitching gutter guards
To avoid water from accumulating near the foundation of your house, make sure your gutter guards are pitched properly so that rainwater flows downhill. If too much water accumulates near your house, it can cause water damage and encourage the growth of mold.
7. Doing installation and repairs yourself
Unless you are skilled and experienced with installing and repairing gutters, going the DIY way can cause you more problems instead of saving money. If you’re not sure of what you’re doing, it’s better to call a professional instead.
8. Spacing gutter hangers improperly
If you place gutter hangers too far apart, your gutter system won’t have enough support to function properly. Space your gutter hangers at proper distances to reduce the chances of your gutters breaking off the roof.
Rain gutters generally don’t require a lot of maintenance, but if you want to avoid costly repairs, these are the top mistakes you should avoid. If you want to learn more about rain gutters, talk to a roofing professional in your area.