The epitome of the American dream is to be a homeowner. While a laudable goal, it also comes with a long list of responsibilities that are all essential to keep your home structurally safe as well as to maintain its resale value. One of the items on this list is cleaning the rain gutters on a regular basis.

How Often to Clean Rain Gutters

Generally speaking, you should clean your rain gutters at least twice a year. That being said, if you have large trees around your property, clear the gutters from debris every three months.

Failing to provide gutter maintenance will cause water blockage. As a result, you’ll end up with mold and leaks inside your home. If the problem becomes substantial, wood can rot, compromising the security of your home’s structure as well as becoming fertile ground for an insect infestation. So whatever you do, place gutter maintenance at the top of your list.

How to Clean Rain Gutters

Cleaning the gutters is a simple task. Simply follow these steps:

1. Get up on a ladder and use a spade to remove all large debris.
2. Use a pressure hose to get rid of smaller items
3. Aim the pressure hose at the downspout
4. Remove any items stuck in the downspout with a plumber’s snake.

12 Signs Gutters Need to be Replaced

Even if you do clean your home’s gutters regularly, at some point they will have to be replaced. How often to do so depends on the materials used to create them, environmental factors, as well as how often you provide them with maintenance. That said, when they do need to get replaced, the signs will be obvious:

1. Gutters that sag
2. Cracks on the gutter
3. Pooling at the base of your home
4. Leaking in your home
5. Structural damage to the foundation of your home
6. Insect infestation (bugs are drawn to moisture)
7. Paint peeling from your home’s exterior walls or siding
8. Discoloration in portions of your home’s exterior
9. Rusted gutters
10. Broken gutter fasteners
11. Your home’s landscape is eroding.
12. You find loose nails or screws in your yard and you have no idea where they came from.

Get a free quote today!

Preserve your home’s structural integrity and save money long-term by letting us help you. At Allied, Siding and Windows, we’ve been proudly serving Houston, Austin and Dallas for over 30 years. Let us inspect your home and conduct a comprehensive assessment of your gutters. Contact us for more information about our services or stop by one of our showrooms!