If you’re a homeowner, how often do you clean your gutters for an Ann Arbor home? If you’re like most people, the answer might be, “As infrequently as possible!” Pressure washing gutters in Ann Arbor is not a pleasant task and can be downright dangerous, but it’s one that you shouldn’t put off indefinitely!
If you don’t clean your gutters, they typically become clogged very quickly and water then runs over their sides, pooling around the home’s foundation and leading to cracks and other damage.
Protecting your home’s foundation from potential damage should be reason enough to clean your gutters or call for professional gutter cleaning service as needed. However, there are many other reasons why a homeowner should consider pressure washing gutters of an Ann Arbor house, as often as they schedule residential house washing and concrete power washing outside their property.
Why Clean Your Gutters
A home’s gutters may not seem very important; however, professional gutter cleaning in Ann Arbor protects many surfaces of your home. To understand how this is and the importance of professional gutter cleaning, first note that the purpose of gutters is to direct rainwater that rolls off the roof to nearby downspouts. Downspouts then direct that water away from the home, typically toward the street or a drainage ditch.
- If you don’t clean your gutters regularly, mud, dirt, twigs, leaves, sand, silt, and other debris collects inside those trenches.
- This debris can then solidify under hot summertime sun or during freezing weather in winter months.
- This thick debris clogs the openings of downspouts and causes the gutters to become very shallow.
- In turn, rainwater then washes over the sides of gutters rather than through those adjoining downspouts.
- Gutters weighed down with thick, heavy debris also tend to pull away from the roof and their connectors, also allowing rainwater to run down behind the gutters rather than to the adjoining downspouts.
What Damage Can Clogged Gutters Cause?
Homeowners may not think that rainwater washing over clogged gutters is a serious issue since a home is supposed to be watertight! However, note the damage caused by clogged gutters and why it’s good to consider regular, professional gutter cleaning when needed:
- Water that pools around a home’s foundation causes that concrete to become soft, allowing the home to then shift and settle. Cracks along interior walls and ceilings then form.
- A soft foundation develops cracks and chips as well, leading to water leaks inside the home.
- Water leaks in the home can damage a basement or crawlspace, create an uncomfortably damp interior, and increase the risk of mold growth.
- Cracks and chips along a home’s foundation also allow in insects and other unwanted pests!
- Rainwater washing down a home’s exterior walls can soften window sills and frames, leading to leaks and cracks along the windows. The home’s interior can then become drafty in wintertime and hot and stuffy in summertime.
- When window sills and frames become soft or damaged, the windows may not move easily and may become stuck in an open or closed position!
- Water pooling around the base of the home might damage landscaping as well as nearby trees and also flood your property’s grass, causing it to wilt and wither.
- Standing water attracts bothersome mosquitos and other such insects and can develop unpleasant algae along its surface.
To protect your home and yard from all this potential damage, it’s good to consider regular gutter cleaning for your Ann Arbor home!
Gutter Brightening, to Protect Your Home’s Curb Appeal
Rainwater washing over the sides of a home’s gutters tends to leave behind very unsightly dirty streaks under those pieces. These dirty streaks are called tiger stripes, and they can make your entire home look rundown and unkempt.
Gutter brightening cleans the outside surfaces of your home’s gutters, scrubbing away those tiger stripes and surrounding dirt and debris. The gutters then look fresh and new and your entire home’s curb appeal is restored!
What Is a Soft Wash Gutter Cleaning?
Pressure washing gutters of an Ann Arbor home is an excellent choice for cleaning built-up debris and any mud clinging to those pieces. However, a soft wash gutter cleaning is often a much better option for your home!
A soft wash pressure washing starts with the application of specialty solvents, designed to dissolve thick mud, dirt, leaves, silt, sand, and other debris inside gutters. A low-pressure rinse removes dissolved debris gently but thoroughly, without pulling gutters away from connectors or creating unsightly spray and splashing. Soft wash gutter cleaning is especially useful for older homes with sagging gutters or those that are full of debris too thick for standard pressure washing!
How to Know If Your Gutters Need Cleaning
The best way to know if your gutters need cleaning is to climb a ladder and look inside them! However, being on a ladder is dangerous even if you’re just performing a quick inspection of your home and very often there are signs that your gutters need cleaning that are quite visible from the safety of the ground.
- Note if there are dirty streaks along a home’s exterior walls. If so, these are typically a sign that rainwater is washing over the gutters rather than running to the nearby downspouts.
- Check the soil around the home’s foundation. If the ground seems more moist that the rest of your lawn, this often means that rainwater is pooling in that area rather than being directed to the street.
- A damp basement might be the result of leaks and cracks in the home’s foundation, caused by clogged gutters.
- When rainwater pools in clogged gutters, it washes back up to the roof’s edge and loosens shingles. Note if the edge of your home’s roof is bubbling or seems to curve and dip in certain areas, which could signal rainwater damage.
- Unsightly tiger stripes under the gutters are a sure signal that you need gutter cleaning for your Ann Arbor home!
If you notice any of these issues with your home, call for gutter cleaning and let the pros clean your gutters as needed, to protect your home and ensure it always looks its best.