Contractor Tips Blog

Jan
23

Dangers of Dirty or Clogged Gutters

If you notice your gutters overflowing during heavy rains, it is more than just an inconvenience. Dirty or clogged gutters can put your home at risk for serious damage. Gutters should be sweeping away roof precipitation down and away from the home; if they are clogged, the water can be pouring onto your home and causing damage. Here are some of the dangers of clogged gutters that you will want to avoid.

Foundation Damage

One feature that can impact your entire home is the foundation. Water intrusion can damage the foundation and increase the chance of settling and other issues. Foundation problems can cause extensive structural damage to the house and are expensive to repair. Gutters are meant to keep water away from your foundation to protect this elemental feature, something they cannot do when they are clogged.

Siding, Fascia and Decking Damage

Water flowing straight down over the gutters can be detrimental to the surfaces underneath. Overflowing gutters can rot away wood fascia boards, damage siding and ruin wood decking. It also makes a mess, with needles and leaves coming down with the water onto your siding and deck/patio/porch.

Landscaping

Clogged gutters can cause drainage problems in your yard, impacting your landscaping. Some plants do not fare well with soggy soil, and too much water at once can wash away root systems, mulch and soil, causing erosion.

Considering the extensive amount of problems that can be caused by clogged or dirty gutters, it is much less expensive to get them cleaned by a professional. Call your local pressure washing company that offers gutter cleaning to keep them working properly to protect your home from the dangers of clogged gutters.

Posted on behalf of:
Impact Pressure Washing
105 Commerce Drive
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(678) 697-7127

Jan
28

Get Your Gutters Ready for Winter

Posted in Gutter Cleaning

As fall comes to an end, your gutters may be ready to be cleaned. The leaves and needles that have accumulated over the summer and fall in your gutters can create clogs in your gutters that can cause damage to your home. Overflowing gutters are not just a nuisance, they can cause water damage to your roof, one of the most expensive components to replace on your home. Here are a few things you should know about maintaining your gutters.

  • Inspect for dents and damage. Many gutters are made from metal and can be dented or damaged from impact. Animals, flying toys and vehicles can dent the tubing, making it likely that gutters will clog in these narrow areas. Dented pieces may need to be replaced if they cannot be repaired.
  • Look for clogs. You can identify clogs during heavy rain. Are your horizontal gutters overflowing in certain areas? It is most likely a clogged gutter. Are all downspouts releasing water at the same rate? If one or more only has a trickle of water coming out, they may have a clog that needs to be flushed out.
  • Clear your gutters. The best way to clear your gutters is with a pressure washer. However, you need to be careful not to damage the gutters or roof with the pressured water. Also, you can put yourself at risk of injury performing this job yourself; hire a professional pressure washing service that is experienced in safely cleaning gutters and is properly licensed and insured to perform the job.

Don’t wait to get your gutters cleaned before the winter storms begin to hit. Call your local pressure washing service to have your gutters maintained today.

Posted on behalf of:
Impact Pressure Washing
105 Commerce Drive
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(678) 697-7127

Dec
3

Are Your Gutters Ready for Winter?

Your home’s gutters are an important part of your roofing system; they safely divert rain and melting snow away from your home, protecting it from damage. That is, as long as they are working properly. Leaves, needles and other debris can clog your gutters, causing them to overflow. Before the wet months of winter are here again, you need to make sure your gutters are ready to do their job.

Gutter Maintenance

Your gutters should be cleaned and inspected at least once a year, although twice a year is ideal. Spring and fall are the best times to schedule maintenance, before and after the wet, stormy months of winter. Here are a few tips to making sure your gutters are ready for the winter storms ahead.

  • Clean your gutters. First, you need to make sure your gutters are clear of all debris. A professional pressure washing contractor can clean your gutters safely and effectively. This will remove any leaves or other debris that has collected since the last cleaning.
  • Inspect your gutters. Once the gutters are clear, you need to check for dents or leaks. If you hire an experienced gutter cleaning company, they will often perform this as part of their service.
  • Make repairs. If your gutters are not draining properly, need a section replaced or are leaking, schedule repairs before the winter weather rolls in. It is much less expensive to repair gutters than fix your roof, siding or foundation if they are damaged from a poor drainage system.

Don’t put off maintaining your gutters. Call your local pressure washing contractor to schedule your gutter cleaning as soon as the last leaves are falling from the trees.

Posted on behalf of:
Impact Pressure Washing
105 Commerce Drive
Fayetteville, GA 30214
(678) 697-7127

Nov
15

The Importance of Gutter Cleaning

Posted in Gutter Cleaning

Keeping you gutters clean is an important home maintenance task for almost every home.  Gutters do an important job of collecting rainwater runoff from your roof and directing it safely away from your home’s foundation.  If you allow your gutters to become clogged with leaves and debris, the gutters will overflow with water which can cause some serious problems.

Rainwater that accumulates around your foundation can leak into your basement or lower level and cause flooding, mold, mildew, and other issues.  Water also weakens the support for your foundation which can lead to cracking and settling.  In addition, moist soil around the home is haven for bugs and termites.  Keeping your gutters clean will allow them to do their job of directing water away from your homes foundation and keep the soil around your home relatively dry.

Clogged gutters can also lead to roof damage.  Moisture an enemy of your roof.  Clogged gutters not only allow water to pool in the gutter, the leaves, pine needles and other debris hold moisture.  These damp areas can lead to rotted wood deck and fascia.  The excess moisture also harms composition asphalt shingles by promoting the growth of mold and mildew.  Water that gets under shingles causes wood rot and can lead to ice dams and other problems.

You can avoid all of these problems by cleaning your gutters whenever they show signs of clogging, but at least twice a year.  You will need to clean them more frequently if you have a lot of trees in your area.  If you are not comfortable cleaning the gutters yourself, have them cleaned by a reputable gutter cleaning service.

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