Summer brings sunshine and hot weather, but it can also mean thunderstorms dropping all sorts of leaves, debris and other things onto your roof. But did you know that most of these objects will slide right down your roof and into your gutters? Cleaning your gutters often is an important task that could save you from possible future damage and a huge repairs bill.
There are a few options to consider when deciding how you want to clean your gutters, you can either do it yourself, hire a professional, or install a gutter guard to protect. Here are a few pros and cons of each option.
Cleaning Your Gutters Yourself
Cleaning your gutters yourself involves getting on a ladder, and cleaning out the leaves and debris manually. It is important to clean the entirety of the gutter system so there aren’t any damming areas that cause the gutters to fail.
Pros :
Cleaning your gutters yourself is a smart way to reduce the cost of gutter maintenance and is a fairly easy task to do on your own. As long as you have a ladder and gloves you can pretty much clean your gutter system all by yourself. While you are cleaning out the gutters you will be able to visually inspect the gutter system for cracks and other damage.
Cons:
There is a certain amount of risk involved with cleaning your gutters by yourself. There are about 500,000 accidents involving ladders each year, so the risk of injury while cleaning your gutters is considerably high, especially if you are a senior or susceptible to injury. You must also have on-hand a ladder tall enough to reach the highest gutter system on your home. Partially cleaned gutters will cause the system to fail. The project is fairly manual and also will require a clean-up of the area around the home where the contents of the gutter fall to the ground as they are cleaned.
Hiring a Professional to Clean Your Gutters
Hiring a third-party cleaner is another option for cleaning your gutters. It is most effective to have them cleaned six times per year if done by a professional.
Pros:
The main advantage to hiring a professional is obvious: someone else is doing the work for you. This means less risk to you and you can use your time another way. Since they have the tools and experience necessary professionals are apt to do a more thorough job, which results in your gutters needing to be cleaned less frequently.
Cons:
The downside to hiring a professional is the price. The price tag on a gutter cleaning service usually ranges from about $125 – $175 per cleaning depending on the size of the home, the equipment needed to handle the home topography and the time required to get the job done. Be sure to read reviews before hiring a service to ensure they will do a good job and that they are licensed and insured.
Installing a Gutter Guard
A gutter guard is a system is a permanent system that prevents your gutters from being clogged by leaves or other debris.
Pros:
Installing gutter guards enables water to flow around the hood of the gutter and into the gutter system while the leaves and debris flow off the cover and out of the gutters. In effect, this will reduce the number of times your gutters will need to be cleaned per year. A clear gutter minimizes the chances that water runoff can ruin your foundation and landscaping. Clear gutters prevent water damage to siding, interior walls and fascia boards.
Cons:
The cons of installing a gutter guard include the cost of buying the materials and installation. The design of gutter guards can also make it hard to see the inside of your gutter system, and subsequently it’s harder to tell whether or not they should be cleaned.
Clean Your Gutters This Summer
Clean and clear gutters are essential to making sure rainwater is not creating foundation damage or other structural issues for your home. Our Thompson Creek experts can help determine if a replacement gutter system is right for your home. Call us today!