Experts recommend that you should clean out your home’s gutters at least twice a year, one of those times being spring or just before. More frequent gutter cleanings are suggested if you have heavy foliage that hangs over your roof.
Cleaning out the gutters is a dreaded home chore that is as dangerous as it is disgusting. Hiring a professional gutter cleaning company is a must if you can’t physically do it yourself, but the service isn’t limited to homeowners who don’t have the ability to clean out their gutters.
It’s also a great way to save money and protect yourself against needless injury and your home from damage!
10 Reasons to Hire a Professional Gutter Cleaning Company
Here are a few great reasons to hire a professional gutter cleaner:
1. EXPERIENCE
Professional gutter cleaners are experienced in cleaning out all types of gutters including the most popular types, vinyl and aluminum, as well as less common gutter materials like stainless steel and copper.
Vinyl and aluminum gutters can be cleaned out and then pressure washed on the outside if any mold or stains are present, but cleaning copper gutters requires a little more delicate treatment.
2. KNOWLEDGE
Hiring a professional ensures that your roof won’t be damaged accidentally during cleanout. Professionals know which parts of the roof and gutter system need extra care, and they’ll make sure that your gutter cleaning will last as long as it’s supposed to.
If you have specific concerns, such as ice dams or pests, a professional will be able to address these issues and give you tips for preventing these things from ruining your roof in the future. They may even be able to suggest products that will make roof care even easier.
3. FOUNDATION
Downspouts run vertically from the roof to the ground, where the runoff leaves the roof. The landscaping around your home’s foundation should be designed to funnel water away from your home’s foundation.
If it’s not, and the runoff sits at the base of your foundation, it can cause damage to your foundation or flood your basement or crawl space.
A professional gutter cleaner will be sure to clean out the downspouts along with the gutters, and they can even make landscaping suggestions to prevent future damage.
4. SAFETY
Cleaning gutters is one of the more dangerous home maintenance chores. Even on first floor gutters, you’ll have to climb an extension ladder to be able to reach the gutters. Doing this task safely requires sturdy placement of the ladder, both on the ground and against your home, not to mention keeping your shoes dry so there’s no chance of slipping off the rungs.
And if you have gutters on a second floor, you may need to position yourself on the rooftop to clean it out. We don’t have to explain to you how dangerous that can be!
5. FAST & EFFICIENT
If using a leaf blower is your idea of cleaning out the gutter, you need professional help! While it might work quickly, this method is imprecise and will lead to an even bigger mess down below on your lawn and walkways.
Pros have the equipment to completely clean out your gutters, leaving nothing behind. They’ll even dispose of the leaves and other debris that is removed so you don’t have to deal with it.
6. TIMING
A quick online search will tell you what’s recommended (just like we did earlier). However, knowing what’s recommended versus knowing what’s best for your home specifically are two very different pieces of information.
When you establish a relationship with a professional gutter cleaner, they will get to know your home better and better with each service and will be able to recommend the best gutter cleaning schedule for you.
7. INSPECTION
Most likely, your professional gutter cleaners also do roofing work, or they are, at the very least, familiar with roofing techniques. Therefore, you’ll get the benefit of their knowledge each time they clean out your gutters.
When an experienced roofer looks at your roof, they can tell you how many years your roof has left and if there are any immediate threats. These valuable tips can help you budget for a roof replacement and keep you prepared so minor repairs don’t catch you off guard.
8. TIME SAVER
Obviously, if someone else is doing the work, you don’t have to. Any time you can pay a professional to do a household maintenance job, it frees you up to do something else – and we can all use a little extra time these days!
In addition, there are other time-saving implications of letting someone else handle the job. You won’t have to do all those smaller time-consuming jobs that go along with it, like dragging out the ladder, putting it back up, and disposing of all junk you remove from the gutters.
9. MONEY SAVER
Paying someone to do a job for you may not seem like a big money saver, but in the long run, hiring a professional to do home maintenance tasks can actually save you money.
First, you won’t have to invest as much in major repairs if you continuously care for your home through maintenance. Second, doing a job this big yourself could result in home damages and expensive repairs if you have an accident.
10. LEGAL
If you rent or lease, it may be necessary for you to hire a professional to do certain jobs. Some HOA’s also require dangerous or lengthy jobs to be done professionally to protect homeowners and properties.
Check your agreement or bylaws to see if this is a job you can do yourself or if it’s something you need to leave to the pros.
Putting off your gutter cleaning can damage your roof and lead to pest infestations and leaks, which can, in turn cost you a lot more in repairs or, worst case, a complete roof replacement.