Gutters are metal rods usually of aluminum, and are a part of your house building system. They are installed along with theedges of your roof, to catch the rain water flowing off the roofs, directly downwards.
Which are the best types of materials that should be used for the gutter?
Aluminum and Vinyl are the two main types of the metals that are used to install gutters at the top of your house. These are the two best times of gutters widely used, which are cost efficient and long lasting with a very low maintenance. Even stainless steel is the other great option for the installation but it consists of high price and maintenance. On a regular basis, it is very necessary to clean the gutters to avoid it from clogging.
What exactly causes the gutter to clog?
No matter how beautiful your home is, maintenance is the most difficult task. Considering the clogged gutters, it may create trouble for you and your home. Gutters may be clogged due to many reasons such as shedding leaves, twigs and debris around can cause a clog in a gutter. In short, deposition of any foreign particles will cause clogging.
Gutter cleaning is an important part of roof maintenance if you want to avoid replacing your roof and maintain its health for a long time.
Mainly, in autumn due to shedding of leaves, the gutter gets clogged and as the leaves get deposited on the roof and then make their way towards gutter and downspouts. Gutters are clogged by wet leaves and twigs as they remain there for a longer period of time. This causes more trouble to pull out from there and may even cause roof damage. Frequent clogging leads to gutter sagging and ultimately damaging the roof of the house.
If you want to avoid your gutter clogging frequently, you can go for a professional cleaning which will help you keep the gutter in a health condition, thereby positively impacting the health of your roof as well.
Leaves, twigs or debris are not the only reasons responsible for clogged gutters, even snow is a huge factor that affects the health of your roof. If snow gets clogged in the gutters, it can cause excessive weight for the gutters to hold and this ultimately causes the holes and damages them.
What could happen if you don’t clean your gutters?
- Roof damage.
Gutter clogging can damage your roof, causing a water leakage inside your home and it can even cause damage or rot your wooden furniture.
- Water damage.
When gutters are clogged, rainwater can sit and cause a puddle of water near your home. This excess water soaks into your home causing mold, mildew and water damage.
- Avoid pests.
Water leakage from the gutter can cause puddles of water around in the ground which ultimately causes the mosquitos and insects buzzing around. It may also invite a bee to build its hive.
- Aesthetic damage.
Clogged gutters if not cleaning can cause to deteriorate the elevation of your house. It is very important to install the gutters properly to avoid the damage to the home.
Here are some of the ideas if you want to prevent your gutter from clogging.
- Gutter guards.
Gutter guards are the best way to prevent gutters from clogging. They are the type of sheets with holes attached at the top of the gutter and near the roof. Small holes are better than large holes as they do not clog easily. They are also known as gutter covers.
- Rain gutter heat tapes.
Rain gutter heat tape is mainly used for the ice to prevent it from clogging into gutters. They are cable wires used to keep them warm so the ice does not get clogged around.
- Ventilated attic.
Ventilation in the gutter is very important. Ventilated attic is warmer than outside temperature, which allows the snow to flow easily and prevent clogging. If the attic is not ventilated, it causes the snow to overfill and ultimately damages the roof.
- Timely cleaning of the gutter.
Gutters if clogged cancause various problems in your home, it should be cleaned regularly to avoid roof replacement. Probably, the best time for cleaning is before and after autumn, as it’s the time when the tree sheds the more leaves which get gutter to clog.
Hence, if you want a healthy life for your roof and even gutters, you can contact nearby professionals for a gutter cleaning, as they have the necessary equipment required for the cleaning procedure, which ensures that the procedure is done without causing any damage.