Common Gutter Cleaning Mistakes

Your gutters play an essential role in guiding rain and snow away from your house. When they break or become clogged, they can create many problems for you and your home. Taking care of your systems with regular cleaning will help you preserve and protect your property.

Explore some common gutter maintenance mistakes and how your home can benefit from proper cleaning measures. 

Gutter Cleaning Benefits Much More Than Just Gutters

Ignoring the buildup in your home’s gutters can be a costly mistake. Explore some of the advantages of having a professional tend to and clean your systems: 

Eliminate Pests

When you think of gutter-related problems, you may overlook the possibility that animals and bugs could live in them. Some of the common pests that lurk in dirty gutters include:

• Birds
• Mice
• Bees
• Hornets
• Wasps
• Mosquitos
• Ants
• Squirrels
• Roaches
• Snakes

When these critters are present in your system, they can present issues ranging from accessing your home’s attic to causing clogs. Regularly cleaning your gutters and removing any standing water can deter pests from damaging your home. 

Boost Curb Appeal

Your gutters play an important role in your home’s overall curb appeal. If your current system is broken or congested with leaves and debris, it could negatively impact how your house looks to those passing by. 

By upgrading or cleaning out your outdated rainwater systems, you can enhance your home’s beauty and make it look more attractive. Consider boosting your house’s curb appeal with new gutters. 

Prevent Water Damage

One of the major problems associated with having dirty and clogged gutters is the potential it leaves for water damage. 

By allowing debris to build up in your home’s gutters, you could end up dealing with the following issues:

• Sitting water
• Leaks
• Water stains 
• Rotting 
• Foundational damage 

Keeping your systems clear will help channel the water away from your home and preserve its integrity. 

Extend Your Roof’s Life 

From mildew growth to ceiling leaks, overrun gutters can deteriorate and compromise your home’s roof. 

You can elongate your roof’s life span by turning to a professional. Regular maintenance and cleaning could save thousands of dollars in potential damage, and you can enjoy peace of mind knowing your system is doing its job. 

Enhance Your Home’s Value

Investing in reliable gutters and regular maintenance for them can enhance your home’s value. 

Proper gutters can help protect the following features of your house:

• Foundation
• Siding
• Landscaping
• Roof 

You could lower your home’s worth by letting your systems get overrun with debris or pests. 

Top DIY Gutter Cleaning Mistakes

Hiring an expert is the best and safest solution for cleaning your gutters. Explore some of the most common gutter cleaning mistakes made by those who do the job themselves:

Cleaning Gutters From the Rooftop

When homeowners tend to their dirty gutters, they often make the mistake of climbing onto the roof and cleaning from there. This position can be dangerous, especially if there are leaves or water present on your rooftop. Instead, it is safer for a professional to clean from a stable ladder. 

Not Utilizing Proper Protective Gear

Since your gutters could be home to animals and bugs, those cleaning should be aware of the potential dangers like stings or bites. By doing the cleaning yourself, you could end up with more problems than you started with.

Safe gutter cleaning requires participants to wear some protective gear, especially tough gloves. When you call on a professional for this job, you can feel good knowing they have the right equipment to handle any inhabitants in your home’s system. 

Unsafe Ladder Protocols

It is essential for those cleaning a gutter to follow proper ladder protocols. Falls are the second leading cause of injury-related deaths around the world. Using an unstable ladder or setting it up incorrectly to access your gutter systems can lead to serious harm.

Using Harsh Cleaning Chemicals

Some people believe that one way to eliminate pests and clean their gutters is with harsh chemicals. However, these substances can be dangerous when misused and can cause damage to your gutter’s materials over time. 

When to Replace Gutters

The following are some of the telltale signs your home’s gutters need an upgrade:

• Cracks or splits: If you notice your gutters are starting to split apart and leak, you can count on those cracks becoming bigger and more problematic over time. It is best to replace cracked gutters promptly. 
• Pools of water: Take a walk around your house after a rain storm. Pools of water near your home’s foundation may be caused by a defect or clog in your system. Sitting water can cause mildew and attract unwanted bugs, so it is important to upgrade if these problems are present. 
• Water stains or damage: Inspect the perimeter of your roof on a dry, sunny day. Look for signs of water damage around your system from overflow or leaks. If there are stains present, consider a replacement.
• Peeling paint: If you spot rust or peeling paint on your home’s gutter system, this could indicate age or wear. You can update your system by installing an upgrade before more age-related issues occur. 
• Sagging or pulling: Whether your gutters are broken or clogged with leaves and other debris, they could begin to sag away from your roof’s edge. When sagging or pulling occurs, it is best to replace your system immediately.

Benefits of Replacing Your Gutters

When you work with the experts at Sunshine Contracting for your gutter replacement project, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Protection from water damage: Our seamless gutters can help protect your home’s exterior from potential water damage by providing a reliable system for directing the precipitation away from your house. 
• Diverse options to choose from: We offer many different gutter styles and colors so you can find the option that pairs best with your home. We also offer gutters in various materials, including copper and aluminum. 
• Seamless gutter installation: Our team of professionals can install your new seamless system efficiently to complement and secure your home.

Schedule Your Free Quote From Sunshine Contracting 

When you need gutter services in Northern Virginia, turn to our team of highly-trained professionals at Sunshine Contracting. We are here to help you find the style and protection you need for your home’s systems. 

As a family-owned and operated business, Sunshine Contracting has been serving our customers with exterior remodeling services since 1993. We work with the best materials and offer seamless gutter installation to give Virginia homeowners peace of mind. In addition to our gutter services, we can also help with siding, roofing, windows and more. 

Are you interested in additional insight into our services? Contact Sunshine Contracting to schedule your free quote today!