Rain gutters may be something you don’t think about too often but are essential to the overall protection and safety of your home. If rain gutters are not kept clean, they can cause significant damage. In this post, we’ll break down all the reasons we think it’s important to keep your gutters clean year-round and explain how to clean rain gutters. However, you can put that ladder away. We'll let you know how TaskEasy can take care of it for you.
Without a rain gutter, water from rain and snow would pour off your roof and fall at the base of your home’s foundation, potentially causing erosion or leaks. This can still happen if leaves and other debris aren’t cleaned out on a regular basis because water can fall over the sides of the roof or even get backed up and cause damage to your roof shingles, leading to leaks that could seep through to your home's interior.
It's usually apparent when there’s a clog in your rain gutters because you’ll see a giant puddle near the base of your home, but it’s still important to have them checked regularly to catch any early signs of clogging. The faster you can catch a clog, the better. If you don't take care of the problem early, it could result in damage to your basement if that water starts to leak into your home foundation. That moldy smell is hard to get rid of once it’s there so it’s smart to take preventative action now.
Having your rain gutters cleaned is also necessary to making sure that all needed repairs are taken care of before unnecessary (and costly) damage is caused to your home. During winter, a lot of weight from snow and ice can heavily impact your rain gutter, so making sure it’s in prime shape early is critical. A bent rain gutter can eventually break, dumping water onto your foundation leading to all kinds of water damage problems.
If you have excess water sitting in your rain gutter due to clogs, you also risk attracting pests such as termites and mosquitoes. These bugs thrive in water, and a neglected rain gutter can double as a perfect home for these pests. You may also be inviting other pests such as mice and birds to camp out in your attic if you have excess moisture, and if you’ve ever dealt with animals trapped in your attic before, you know it’s not fun or easy getting rid of them.
Now that you know why it’s important to clean your rain gutters, the question is to do it yourself or to leave it to a professional. Because it's such a tricky process that can easily go wrong, we recommend leaving it to a professional because it's much safer. Trying to repair or clean rain gutters yourself can be dangerous, especially if conditions are slick. A professional is also trained to do a thorough job and spot any potential issues that may otherwise go unnoticed. Give TaskEasy a call at 1-800-518-4461 and we can assign you a trusted contractor to come and take care of your rain gutters for you.