Do gutter cleaning once in the spring and once in the fall as part of your roof maintenance. The extent of gutter cleaning necessary will depend on how many trees you have around your home. Gutter guards can stop future debris from entering, and hiring roofers is the best way to stay safe.

Reasons for Gutter Maintenance

Debris can cause clogs in your gutters and downspouts, which can overflow onto your roof and yard. The stagnant water can seep through your shingles and into the attic or drip down your house. Water that drains from your gutters or downspouts too close to your home can leak into your basement.

Fall and Winter Gutter Maintenance

Fall is one of the best times to climb a ladder and check your roof for debris. Cleaning your gutters during fall will remove leaves and other gunk before the weather cools. Debris in your gutters can freeze during winter and may stay frozen all season.

Winter brings colder temperatures and the risk of ice damming in your gutters or downspouts. Debris from fall would be stuck until spring because winter is dangerous for ladders. Call our roofing contractors to investigate when you spot any icicles or ice dams around your roof.

Properly Use a Ladder

A sturdy ladder could help when your home is a single story dwelling, but over that, cleaning gutters is dangerous. A ladder should extend higher than you need to reach, and you should never stand at the top. Angle the ladder to keep it stationary by standing a foot away and stretching your arm to check the angle.

The ladder’s legs should be on solid ground, but there are attachments to help use a ladder on uneven ground. If you don’t have a tool to keep the ladder sturdy, a piece of wood can help keep the ground even. When climbing up and down a ladder, always have two arms and one foot or two feet and one arm on the ladder.

Use the Proper Tools

Gather the proper clothing and tools before starting to clean your gutters. Wear a long-sleeved shirt to shield your arms and rubber shoes for the best grip on the ladder. To protect yourself from bacteria, wear gloves and goggles while putting the debris and gunk into a bucket. Use a plastic scoop to remove it. Then, take a garden hose to rinse out the gutters and downspouts. A spray nozzle makes it easier to flush the leftover debris.

Safely Clean Your Gutters

Remove the bigger debris first, and always work moving away from your downspout. You don’t want debris and gunk falling into the downspout to create a new clog. Spraying the gutters with a hose will finish cleaning leftover debris and show any leaks.

Follow this maintenance guide to keep your roof healthy and protect your property. While you’re cleaning them, if you find that you need any gutter repair or installation, contact our roofing contractors at Green Valley Roofing & Construction in Birmingham, AL for a free estimate.