What time of year is best for gutter cleaning?
When it comes to regular gutter cleaning, the best time of the year to get the gutters cleaned is just before the winter rains usually early Autumn. Getting the gutters cleaned before the wet weather will make the debris easier to remove when it is dry and it also prevents water damage from starting. Cleaning the gutters when the weather is dry will also cost less due to the lower demand on local gutter cleaning services.
Getting the roofing and gutters cleaned in Autumn is generally the best time of the year when it comes to weather conditions. Lets face it, who wants to climb onto the roof when it is raining, wet and windy? Not only is it a safety issue its also very unpleasant and difficult work to complete in the wind and rain.
How often should you get the gutters cleaned?
Depending on where you live and the amount of tree’s located around the house gutters. Getting the gutters cleaned often will help prevent water damage and expensive home repairs. If there are a lot of gum tree’s are overhanging or close to your home then you will need to get the gutters cleaned more often than a home that has a limited amount of smaller tree’s close by.
A gum tree drops debris all year round, whether its gum nuts, bark, branches or leaves that gum tree will fill up your gutters 4x per year. If there are no tree’s close by but there is a lot of building and construction work in the vicinity, then this will cause the gutters to fill up with dust and dirt.
Generally speaking it’s good practice to get the roofing and guttering checked once per year for blockages, damage, rust or animals nesting in roofing cavities. Quite often if there are pigeons located on your roof, then they will cause clogged and blocked up gutters. Pigeon droppings in the gutters create perfect conditions for weed growth and dirty rainwater. Depending on your homes location in regards to large tree’s and bushes will affect the frequency that a gutter cleaning service will be required.
Is gutter cleaning in Adelaide worth it?
Gutter cleaning in Adelaide prevents minor and serious water damage occurring from blocked and overflowing rain gutters. Overflowing gutters can cause a lot of unseen and visible water damage. Water damage that is visible is quite obvious and will appear as a dark water stain on ceilings, roof eaves and internal walls. Unseen water damage is much more serious, such as water damage to the homes concrete foundations and collapsing ceilings due to water buildup in the ceiling. Getting the foundations or ceilings replaced is an extremely expensive, so regular gutter cleaning and roofing maintenance is really worth it in the long run and will protect your property investment for many years to come.
Just having that peace of mind that the gutters are clean, downpipes are unblocked and the roof is in good condition is worth it. Knowing that the roof guttering has been taken care of by professionals is also extremely worth it, saving you time, money and unnecessary stress. Even if you clean the house gutters yourself, it’s worth the effort to take care of your property and ensure your property receives regular roof and gutter cleaning.
What happens if you don’t get the gutters cleaned?
The short answer is a whole lot of expensive water damage! When the gutters are not cleaned regularly then it can cause unseen damage to start to occur within the roof and ceilings. Every year many ceilings collapse due to overflowing gutters, often caused by poor roofing and guttering maintenance. Water damage is easily avoided with a regular gutter cleaning service.
Gutters that have not been cleaned for a long period of time creates a perfect breeding ground for pests and other vermin to cause infestations within the roofing and wall cavities. During summer it is important to keep the roof and rain gutters clean and free from a build up of dry leaf debris. Keeping the roof gutters free from a buildup of dry tree debris will help to reduce bush fire risk during those hot dry South Australian summer months.
Gutters that are not cleaned for many years and are continuously filled with debris will quickly rust out, sag and need replacing within 3-4 years. Having to replace the gutters and rotted out fascia boards is often the result of the someone who doesn’t get their gutters cleaned and roof maintained. Another over looked problem that
occurs when the gutters don’t get cleaned is the growth of mold spoors and internal wood rot. Mold will cause a severe health risk if left untreated and will get worse causing wood rot that will result in costly home and roof gutter repairs.
How do professionals clean gutters in Adelaide?
There are a few ways that professional gutter cleaners can clean the house gutters, one simple and effective way is by hand with a bucket and ladders. Depending on the gutter cleaning Adelaide company, the type of building and the type of debris will often dictate the method to clean the gutters. For instance if there are a lot of large branches, heavy gum nuts and compacted debris in the gutters, then a gutter-vac will not be an effective or efficient way to clean the gutters. Leaf blowers are a good way to clean the gutters if the debris is light and dry. However if the leaf matter is wet and compacted inside the guttering, then a leaf blower will not be a very effective way to clean out the rain gutters.
A true a tried method is simply cleaning out the guttering yourself by hand with a large sack or bucket, most gutter cleaning professionals prefer the sack because it cannot fall off the roof hitting customers below and a sack cannot roll down the roof knocking someone off or creating an accident. Quite often it’s the simplest method that is most effective and efficient.
What is the fastest way to clean the roof gutters?
One of the fastest ways to clean the gutters is with a leaf blower or vacuum. Quite often these ways of cleaning out the rain gutters will not work and can sometimes take longer. For instance if the roof and gutters are completed filled and covered with debris from gum tree’s, this type of debris is almost impossible to vacuum out of the guttering and will require the gutters to be cleaned by hand first and then the vacuum or leaf blower can be used to clear out the last bits of fine debris or sludge.
When it comes to roofing and working at heights and an accident is possible then the “fastest way” is usually not the smartest or safest way to clean the gutters. When getting trained to work at heights, the instructor continuously emphasized to slowly and carefully plan any works performed on roofs at heights where an accident is possible. Running and rushing around to clean the gutters or when working on roofs is not a very bright idea and will likely result in an accident, tasks missed or damage to the property and guttering.
Can I clean out my own house gutters and blocked downpipes?
Yes you can easily clean out your own rain gutters. Cleaning the gutters yourself does not take a brain surgeon or high IQ individuals, just common sense, some spare time and a few tools that are likely lying around your home at the moment. Cleaning out your own gutters will require medium effort depending on the style of home and the height of the guttering. If you have a home with multiple levels then it’s is advisable not to clean the gutters by yourself and to get a friend or family member to help you clean out the gutters yourself.
When you clean the gutters yourself then you will not only save money in the short term but you will also learn a vital home maintenance job that will keep your home or building free from water damage and expensive home repairs for many years to come. So cleaning the roof and gutters yourself not only saves you money in the short term but also in the long term.
How do you tell if your properties gutters and downpipes are clogged?
There a many ways to tell if the house gutters are clogged and blocked up. Always check if there is water flowing through the downpipes, this is a tell tale sign if the gutters are clogged or the downpipes are blocked. It is easy to check, simply put your ear to the downpipe when it is raining and there should be the sound of rain water flowing through the downpipe.
When the gutters are clogged up, they will start to overflow when there is a heavy downpour of rainwater. This is one of the obvious signs that the gutters need to be cleaned. Obviously when there is grass or weeds growing out of the guttering, that is a good indicator that the gutters are clogged up and need to be cleaned.
Preventative maintenance is always the better option when it comes to your homes roofing and guttering. Leaving the roof and gutter cleaning to the last minute when there is visible signs of the gutters being clogged up or water damage is a recipe for disaster and costly water damage repairs. Keeping the gutters free from debris and blockages might seem expensive or time consuming now, however it will save you a lot of time and money in the future.
