ROOF MAINTENANCE: GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS

Roof Maintenance: Gutters & Downspouts

This time around on our roof maintenance blog series we want to touch on what you as a homeowner can do to maintain your gutter and downspout system on your home and prevent any damages and protect your roof. Your gutter system prevents water build up on your roof and transfers the water through the downspouts, down and away from your home to avoid any water build-up around the structure of your home. It’s up to you as a homeowner to check up on it and make sure everything is working properly!

1. Clean your gutters – any and all debris should be removed from gutter line completely. This includes leaves, branches and any other foreign objects you find hiding away in your gutters. Do this especially during the Fall season to avoid any water or ice build-up that can damage the gutter system. Some even use a leaf blower to make the task easy as pie.
2. Trim trees and branches – for many homes this is the root cause (no pun intended) of a lot of the debris that may end up clogging your gutter system. Just simply clean up the branches hanging over your roof or gutter system periodically. You may need to call a tree trimming company if you do not have the proper tools to reach the branches without risking injury to yourself (they’re just gutters, don’t hurt yourself for them!)
3. Rinse check for leaks – a rinse check is an easy and effective way to check your gutters and downspouts for small or big leaks. Just take your hose to the the gutters and let it flow in all directions to make sure all areas have been checked. Best to do this on a bright and dry day to avoid any confusion.
4. Fix any minor leaks – if you do discover a minor/small leak in your system, for the most part as a homeowner you should be able to make an effective and cheap fix. Patch kits and even silicone sealers are available at most local and major retailer hardware stores.
5. Ensure roof can breathe – you may want to check out our blog post on Roof Maintenance: Attic Vent for tips on checking the ventilation effectiveness of your roof. But ensuring that your roof can breathe and expel air properly will prevent any damage to your gutter system.

Maintaining your home’s gutter system is one of the easy tasks you can do as a homeowner to keep your house working as a proper unit for as long as possible. If you discover any damage that needs to be fixed by a professional or are unsure of the the condition of your system give us a call today to get a Solution Specialist out to your home right away. IF you are unable to physically get on your roof, reach a branch or address any other aspects of your roof, gutters, or anything else on your home do not attempt something that can potentially harm yourself or your home. It is always safer and easier to get a professional out to your property.