Your gutters are critical in protecting your home. Gutters do a lot more than ensure water does not pool around your house as they also help prevent erosion, protect your home’s siding as well as ensure your garden beds are safe. Like other parts of your home, gutters must be taken care of properly if you would like them to keep working as they should for longer. We are going to look at a few tips that can help you protect your gutters.
Remove Overhanging Branches
Overhanging branches can lead to a lot of trouble, especially if they break off when there are high winds. Falling branches will damage your roof as well as the gutters too. So, if there are any overhanging branches near your home, take the time to trim them.
Trimming these branches also reduces the amount of debris that ends up in your gutters, thereby clogging them.
Beware of Ice Damage
Ice build-up can cause a lot of damage to the roof as well as the gutters. Ice build-up can lead to ice dams that prevent melted snow from flowing from your roof and gutters.
Using a snow rake to remove this ice is a good idea, especially after a gravy snowfall or when you notice ice building up on the roof and gutters.
Do note that there is always the risk of falling off the roof or getting buried under the snow as you remove it. So, if you are not confident about doing this, call a professional.
Take Care of Pests
Pests can make themselves at home on your gutters and when they do, they can cause problems such as blockages. Pests such as bees and mosquitos can take residence around or in your gutters. If you see bees swarming around your house or have a higher number of mosquitos in your home than usual, there could be pests in your gutters.
Although bees and mosquitos do minimal damage, pests such as mice and squirrels can do a lot of damage. Preventing pests from making a home in your gutters is a great way of protecting both the gutters and other parts of your home.
Repair Cracks and Damage
Any damage such as punctures, cracks and sagging can become worse over time and cost a lot more when you decide to repair the gutters. It is, therefore, a good idea to repair any damage or cracks you see on the gutters as soon as you can. This cannot only save you money in the long run but can also ensure your gutters last longer.
Uninstall Gutter Guards
A common cause of problems with gutters is debris. Gutter guards ensure that debris does not get into the gutter and cause different types of issues. Once you have the guards in place, gutter maintenance becomes as easy as hosing down the gutters once a year.
With a little care, your gutters can also last for a very long time. It all starts with knowing the different issues that can come up and learning to take care of them before they grow and become unmanageable.
