Nowadays, Gutter Cleaning services seem to be on offer everywhere I look. But is it really worth the cost, and the hassle, of having a technician called out to my home with all their tools, ladders, and accessories? Not to mention Gutter Guards! It sometimes seems like everybody and their brother is out there selling Gutter Guards. What’s the deal with Gutter Guards?

What Are Gutters?

When it comes to home ownership, water is a villain. Rain can be equally as damaging, sometimes worse, than gale-force wind. Worse yet, the water damage is often invisible until it reaches a critical point of failure.

Gutters are a critical part of your home’s structure. They are half of a water removal management system that is actually better known as “Gutters and Leaders”. Gutters are the channels hanging immediately beneath the lowest roof line. They are usually made of vinyl or extruded metal and are, most often, installed completely around the structure, wherever water will run off the roof. Leaders (sometimes also called “Downspouts”) are the tubes that carry that water down the side of the building and away from the foundation. Leaders are typically constructed of the same material as the Gutters. Both Gutters and Leaders can clog with leaves, tree branches, and other storm-carried debris. This reduces or eliminates their ability to function properly. (At All Clean Exteriors NJ we often refer to the Gutter and Leader system simply as “Gutters” for simplicity.)

What Happens When My Gutters Are Clogged?

Gutters are critical to your home’s sustainability. When they become clogged with leaves and debris their ability to carry water away from your home is severely compromised. In that case, instead of the damaging water being carried away from the foundation, it will accumulate and begin to do its harm to your home, sight unseen.

That damage can be quite significant, too. In fact, if left uncorrected, clogged Gutters can result in weakened, even failed, foundations that demand massive effort and expense to recover. Of course, that is the most extreme impact, but it is actually more common – and more expensive – than you might suspect. In addition to foundation problems, there are others almost as consequential:

• Foundation Failure can result from unmanaged water eroding the soil around your home’s foundation, which weakens the entire structure. This is a slow process that is usually not visible to the observer, since all the action takes place beneath ground level. Resolving Foundation Failure is an immense undertaking.

• Overflowing Gutters are sometimes the unavoidable result of a particularly heavy rainfall. The problem arises when the overflow is caused not by too much water in too short a time, but by clogs in the Gutter system itself. In that case, water may actually run down the wall, beneath the siding! This often leads to the growth of mold and material damage.

• Insects, Rodents, and Pests Love Damp Environments and they have a particular affinity for the rotting wood that can result from exposure to water. When this happens behind the siding, those “squatters” see a comfortable new home for themselves.

• Ice Dam Damage is especially costly for homeowners. Ice Dam Damage happens when a clogged Gutter freezes during winter weather. Over time, the weakening effect of all the weight of the ice can easily tear the gutters right away from your home. This can be unavoidable in the Monmouth County, NJ climate where we suffer storms all year. Winter repairs can be an especially dangerous and expensive venture.

• Roof and Fascia Damage sometimes result from clogged Gutters because the water has no place to go. When water is not directed, it finds its own route – that route is often, especially in the NJ climate, up and under the roof or down behind the fascia. Either way, damaged material and leaks are the frequent result.

What Are Gutter Guards?

We’ve seen how obviously important full-functioning Gutters are to the safety and longevity of your home. What about those Gutter Guards? Is that something I should install on my home? Gutter Guards are essentially perforated covers for your Gutters. The perforations allow the water to seep into the Gutter for removal – while keeping leaves and other wind-blown debris from accumulating and eventually blocking the Gutter. That’s the theory, anyway. And, in fact, that is how they work. But they eventually also clog with dirt and fail – unless they, too, are periodically cleaned.

Are Gutter Guards Worth The Cost?

Gutter Guards are not a massive investment, and they can reduce the frequency required for cleaning the Gutters themselves. But they will not eliminate the need. In fact, there is sometimes no improvement since the Gutter Guards themselves also require periodic cleaning. Gutter Guards are usually constructed of inexpensive materials, and there are some tricks to proper installation. But that being said, All Clean Exteriors NJ has installed several varieties of Gutter Guards and we will be pleased to install them on your home. However, in my professional opinion, most homeowners will be better served with manual Gutter Cleaning.

Check out this previous article “Should I Buy Gutter Guards?” to learn more about the pros and cons of the guards. 

When Should I Clean My Gutters?

Some homeowners think “That’s easy. I’ll have them cleaned whenever they need it!” Unfortunately, that approach doesn’t work very well. Because of what they are and where they are installed, it is not easy to see when Gutters need cleaning. And we’ve seen that the damage of ignoring your Gutters can be extensive.

So, what should I do? The best answer is to have All Clean Exteriors NJ clean your home’s Gutters two times per year. A Spring and Fall cleaning schedule keeps your Gutters and Leaders operating at peak efficiency: Spring Gutter Cleaning removes all the junk and debris that has accumulated during those Winter storms, while Fall Gutter Cleaning removes the ravages caused by Summer Storms and gets your home prepared for another brutal New Jersey Winter.

All Clean Exteriors NJ has the gear and expertise needed to clean your Gutters and Leaders quickly and economically – often without needing ladders placed against your house.

Call us today or visit online at www.allcleanexteriorsnj.com to learn more.