Gutter Cleaning Warren OH

In a word, no. Or at least, it’s highly unlikely that your gutters won’t have to be cleaned at least occasionally. No matter where your home is located, dirt, debris, and general grime will always accumulate over time. Some people try gutter covers, which tend to do more harm than good. Even with gutter covers or screens, the gutters and the covers themselves will still need to be cleaned periodically, in order to avoid clogs and possible damage to your home.

Almost never. Here is why: your gutters are part of a system, which includes your outlets, your downspouts and your underground (or above ground) drainage system. Gutter covers or screens keep debris out of the gutter, but usually impede the gutters and the rest of the system from doing the job it was designed to do. So you have clean gutters, but water doesn’t flow through them properly, which can cause mold or moss to grow in the gutters, water just runs over the covers, which causes water to accumulate just where you don’t want it–next to your foundation, and the debris on top of the covers makes a nice, moist place to encourage moss to grow on your roof edge.

Carefully…and by professionals committed to safety. Every year there is an article or two about a homeowner falling off a ladder or roof and suffering death or a life-altering injury. OSHA research indicates that any fall greater than six feet is likely to result in death or serious injury. Depending on your roof, the process is: set and secure ladders, install safety equipment, blow off the roof, clean the gutters, clean the downspouts, check for loose spikes, cracks, rust or other problems. Remove safety equipment. Clean up. Optional procedures are flushing the gutters (usually not needed) and cleaning the outside of the gutters.

 As a general rule of thumb, most gutters should be cleaned twice each year–once in the late spring and again in the late fall. That being said, it all depends on the size, type, and location of your property and the type and density of tree coverage–homes surrounded by trees may call for more frequent gutter cleaning. Here in the Northeast Ohio area, if you have a lot of trees around your house, you should plan to clean your gutters at least three times a year.

If you wait for your gutters to give you a sign they’re in need of a clean, you’re opening the door to a world of problems. To avoid blockages and costly repair jobs, get on a routine maintenance schedule that is appropriate for the type and density of the tree coverage around your home. Left overlooked or ignored, it’s only a matter of time before things take a turn for the worse.