On average, gutters only last about 20 years, but if you take good care of yours, they might last much longer. Gutter protection is more important than you might realize. You might think that gutters function to redirect water away from your house, and that’s all, but they actually do much more than that.
If you don’t protect your gutters and let them fall into disarray, you might find that your home will soon get ruined. This is because gutters protect your home from all sorts of damage. Keep reading and learn more about the importance of gutter protection and how using gutter guards and basic gutter care can keep both your gutters and your home in great shape.
Why Is Gutter Protection So Important for Protecting Your Home?
The state of your gutters has a direct impact on the state of your yard and even your home’s foundation. Gutters function to safely gather water from your roof and direct it down towards the ground and away from your house. This may seem like a simple task, but it is actually very significant.
If your gutters have ever become clogged, you may know the consequences of non-functioning gutters. If you don’t have working gutters or any gutters at all, when it rains, the water will pour off of your roof and down to the ground surrounding your house. This may not sound very dangerous since, after all, it’s just water.
However, the damage comes from the fact that when water falls from your roof from the ground, it falls from a great height. Because of this, the water impacts the ground very harshly and can actually tear up the ground around your house as a result. This will not only ruin the look of your lawn but will also cause some serious damage to your house.
Keep in mind that your house rests on a sturdy foundation that’s most likely made out of concrete. When you let the water overflow from your gutters and drop around your house, the water will end up penetrating the ground and the house’s foundation. Over time, this excess water exposure will end up degrading your house’s foundation.
The Details
As the concrete soaks up the water, it will deform, and it might even crack. If this happens, the entire structure of your house will be in danger. If your foundation decides to shift, there is a good chance that a part of your house, if not the whole house, could collapse.
This is not to mention that repairing a home’s foundation can easily cost you several tens of thousands of dollars. This is only one of the many reasons why it’s important to protect your gutters and keep them in good shape. Another reason is that if your gutters don’t work well, excess water will end up flowing down the side of your house.
This will end up ruining the siding and paint. Water might even get behind the siding and start causing all sorts of problems such as mold and mildew damage. The water might leave stains on the sides of your house as well, and the paint might start to bubble or peel from the excess water.
But what can you do to make sure that your gutters stay in good shape?
How To Keep Your Gutters Protected
The first thing you should do is start using gutter shields, also known as gutter guards. A gutter shield is a special device that you apply over the top of your gutters. It covers the majority of the gutter’s top without completely covering it.
That way, rain can still drain into the gutters, but you won’t have to worry about leaves and sticks getting stuck in them. This will not only keep your gutters safe, but it will also save you a lot of time and energy since you won’t have to climb up a ladder to clean your gutters as often. Keep in mind that your gutters should be as clean as possible before you install a gutter guard.
What You Need to Know
The last thing you want to do is trap debris in your gutters. Cleaning out your gutters is a relatively easy task. Once you climb up a ladder and are within reach of the gutters, put on a pair of sturdy gloves and scoop out the debris with your hands. The debris will mostly be dead leaves and sticks, but you may also find bird nests, insects, pollen, and more.
If you don’t want to use your hands or if you don’t have sturdy gloves available, you can always use a metal or plastic scoop. It will work more or less the same as your hands when removing debris. Then, to make sure the gutters are really clean, use a garden hose to remove whatever might be left in the gutters.
Doing this will also flush out the downspouts and ensure that the gutters are really clean. Then, you can install some gutter guards and make sure that your gutters are protected and remain unclogged for many years to come.
All About Gutter Protection
Gutter protection is very important to the well-being of your home. If your gutters are often clogged and non-functional, you will find that the overflow of water will not only tear up your lawn but might even ruin your house’s siding and foundation. To prevent this problem, all you need to do is protect your gutters and keep them clean.
You can easily do this with some gutter guards. To learn more about gutter guards and how they work, click here.
