Experiencing Clogged Gutters? Here are 4 Prevention Tips
You may like the idea of a house surrounded by the perfect landscaping that includes all your favorite plants, trees, shrubs, and flowers. Though having an outdoor garden is an excellent idea for enhancing your house’s aesthetics, there are some things associated with it that can do the opposite. Once the trees shed their leaves during the autumn season or storms, they can directly fly and rest into the gutters and roof of your house.
Gutters work on a simple principle of directing the rainwater away from your house through interconnected pipelines. These systems often get clogged and blocked due to the unwanted leaves, dirt, and gunk that settles in gutters. The problem doesn’t end here! Tall trees whose branches lurk on the roof can be troublesome during rains since the water going down through downspouts can wash away the fallen leaves into the roofing drainage system that can exert pressure on fascia and soffit.
What can be done to prevent this situation that can arise every time it rains? I would suggest hiring a residential gutter cleaning company that can inspect your gutters and downspouts and make them sturdy for future rains. Besides, here are some tips that will prove to be useful in preventing this impediment from happening-
1) Prune the Branches of Your Trees and Plant them Away from the Roof-
The branches of the tall trees planted close to the roof result in the accumulation of plant debris near the roof drainage gutters. This happens because the branches of these trees hang loosely anonymously in any direction allowing the dead and rotten leaves to rest on the slopped places of the roof, which ultimately washes away into downspouts during storms and rains. Therefore, keep the trees in good shape by pruning the edges and planting them away from the home’s foundation.
2) Clean the Gutters and Downspouts Every Month-
Hire gutters and downspouts cleaning services if you have no time to clean your drains on your own. Many people get involved in DIYs, but they do not know the right technique to get rid of the glop; therefore, they mess up more. However, you can inspect the gutters every month. Once the channels are blocked, the water overflows from the sides and reaching the foundation of your house, causing dampness and if you find anything suspicious, call the experts.
3) Install Gutter Protection and Drip Cage-
One of the easiest and cost-effective ways to minimize gutter problems is to install leaf guard protection or drip cage. This will avoid trapping and falling leaves into the narrow gutter pipes. The guard’s selective membranes will allow only the water to pass while restricting the gunk that can be cleaned later on using the gutter cleaning tools.
4) Remove Airborne Debris-
Leaves alone do not clog the gutters; the debris carried away by the wind and storm, such as hair, garbage, and worn clothes, do the same. Besides, roofing material like loose shingles, chimney material can trickle down the pipes to block the gutters. Keeping the yard clean and birds away is one of the ways to protect your gutters.