Keeping the gutters on your home clean and well maintained will ensure that they can best do their job of protecting your home and landscaping from rain that runs off your roof. Make sure that you’re caring for your gutters with the following maintenance steps.
Clean Gutters
When debris builds up in your gutters, rainwater cannot run through them as designed. Spring and fall are good times to check them each year. Also, pay attention to how water flows when it’s raining. Clean your gutters if you notice a problem with water flow. If your rain gutters Shoreline have a guard on them, remove that first, then take remove leaves and other debris from the gutters. You can use a hose to wash small amounts down the gutters and into the downspouts. Replace the gutter guards when everything is clean.
Clear Downspouts
Downspouts are another part of your gutter system that can become clogged with debris. Using your hose, run water into your clean gutters and have someone watch each downspout to make sure that water is exiting properly. If the water instead runs over the edge of the gutter where it meets the downspout, you likely have a clog. You can run your garden hose into the downspout from the top or the bottom and use the force of water to attempt to loosen any clog that is blocking the flow.
Physical Maintenance
It’s a good idea to occasionally visually inspect your gutters to verify that everything is still properly attached to your home. If you notice that your gutter is pulling away from your roof at any point, be sure to reattach it as soon as possible. During the inspection, look at any downspout seams to check that all segments are still firmly connected. Finally, verify that the bottoms of your downspouts are located to deposit water several feet from your home and that they are directing water flow away from your foundation.
Rain gutters protect your home during rainstorms. Take good care of them to keep your home in good condition.
