6 Reasons to Clean Out Your Gutters This Fall

As we say, "See you next year" to summer, and the trees change from green to red, yellow, and orange, there is one task all Minnesotans should embrace with the changing of the seasons: gutter cleaning.

It is important to clean your gutters at the start of this season because gutters can get clogged by leaves, sticks, and dirt. Clogged gutters do not allow rainwater to drain properly, quickly leading to problems for other components of your home or building.

Our gutter installers at Restoration Geeks are always happy to offer expert answers to all home exterior questions, from roof repair to gutter installation services. With over 20 years of roofing and restoration experience, we've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to gutters.

Let us break down the benefits of routine gutter cleaning – especially right before winter – so you feel motivated to protect your home or property by tackling this stinky but necessary task.

Why Cleaning Your Gutters Matters – A LOT

Why does having clean gutters matter? In one word: water.

Gutters protect your house, building, windows, doors, and foundation from water damage. When they're clean and working correctly, gutters collect rainwater, melted snow, and other moisture, leading it through their downspouts and away from the home or structure.

Cleaning your gutters is necessary because ignoring your gutters means ignoring water that can cause structural damage to your home or building over time. If you ignore your gutters, you may experience costly repairs in the future.

Why You Should Clean Your Gutters This Fall

Fall isn't the only time you should clean your gutters, but it's the most important time to do it.

Here are five reasons you should clean your gutters this fall!

1. Avoid Water Damage

If you have clogged gutters that aren't draining because they're filled with leaves and debris, this means that during heavy rains or snow, the water remains trapped in the gutter system.

As we already mentioned, when clogged gutters are not properly cleaned, it can result in water damage to the exterior of your home. If the clogged gutters are ignored long enough, your home's interior can also be damaged.

By cleaning your gutters this fall and taking care of any additional gutter services, such as repairing damaged sections, you can avoid the expenses of repairing water damage on the exterior and interior of your home or building.

2. Prevent Damage to Your Roof

It is essential to clean your gutters this fall because roof damage can occur due to clogged gutters. The clogged gutters leave the rainwater with nowhere to go, which can cause a leaky or rotten roof.

Rainwater doesn't discriminate and can damage shingle roofing, slate roofing, tile roofing, and everything in between. If you let it progress until there's water damage on the interior of your house, it's likely that the roof will leak every time it rains, and the damage to the interior of the home will become more and more costly to repair.

When cleaning the gutters, make sure that the gutters are free of rust, cracks, and holes to prevent leaking. Contact Restoration Geeks for gutter repair services.

3. Stop Animals From Nesting in Your Gutters

Rats, birds, and insects are attracted to clogged gutters. These pests can invade the gutters and cause a pest infestation in your home.

The cost of exterminating your home will be expensive, and this expense can be avoided with routine gutter cleaning this fall.

4. Reduce Likelihood of Damage to Your Home's Foundation

If your home's gutters are clogged, the water will pool around your home's foundation. It is imperative to clean your gutters so the water will travel away from your home's foundation. The water could expand and crack the foundation of your home in the winter.

5. Save Money on Expensive Repairs in the Future

By cleaning your gutters this fall, you can avoid expensive roof repairs. Roof damage can be a costly fix, so it is important to maintain your gutters to prevent leaky or rotten roofs.

Energy.gov recommends installing a rainwater harvesting system if the gutters are not preventing water damage. Contact Restoration Geeks for a gutter contractor or gutter installation.

6. Enhances Your Curb Appeal

Your gutters not only play a role in keeping your home's condition in great shape but also affect your curb appeal. Neglect can happen, and if you have a build-up of debris in the system, this can cause overflows and result in unsightly marks and stains on the exterior.

When combined with eroded landscaping, this distorts the home's symmetry and can create a negative and unkept look, directly affecting the curb appeal of your property.

Signs It's Time for a Gutter Replacement

Without the right training, most people don't know much about gutter health and don't always pay attention to it until problems arise. Because they're such a critical part of your home's foundation, our expert signs that it's time to call a professional for gutter replacement are:

• Holes, rust, cracks, or areas that look like they will give out in the system.

• Your gutters are separating or sagging from the house.

• Damaged landscaping and pooling water are common after storms.

• You're finding unexplained screws or nails near the foundation.

• Discolorations and watermarks appear on the exterior of your home.

• Mold is developing at the top of your home's exterior or basement.

• Your gutters have moved past the 30-year mark.

Contact Your Gutter Experts in Eden Prairie, Edina, Minnetonka, Big Lake, and Surrounding Locations

If you suspect your home has roof damage due to clogged gutters, you need an expert. Our team has been providing professional services for over 20 years, and we are a GAF Master Elite certified contractor in the Twin Cities.

Contact our experts at Restoration Geeks for complete roofing or exterior restoration service! Call us today at 952-500-9546 or contact us online.