It’s safe to say that Spring is upon us. In addition to the regular cleaning, packing away summer clothing and unburying the bike and tennis rackets, Spring also means paying extra attention to your roof and gutters.
We regularly use our blog to write about the importance of keeping your roof happy and healthy, but your gutters can be just as important. We think it’s necessary to get their input at this time of the season before many of us have started our spring cleaning.
Here are some comments your gutters would say if they grew vocal cords and a mouth (try not to imagine that).
1. “Don’t Leaf Me!”
This sassy comment would come from a gutter that is beginning to experience clogging from the leaves that have grown on the huge oak, maple and ash trees that adorn many local yards.
As leaves start to appear on budding trees, they can be just as easily pulled off by heavy spring rains. As they fall from the branches, your gutters may be where they wind up. This will not make for happy gutters. On the contrary, it causes clogging, which might make your gutter say…
2. “I’m Full!”
Your introspective but very clogged, gutters may come to this conclusion after a heavy rain. As water builds up in the rain gutter and isn’t able to drain through the downspout, it can weigh on the gutter and cause it to pull away from the eaves of your home.
This not only damages your roof and flashing but leaves your home unprotected for the next rain, allowing water to run down your walls and seep into the foundation of your house.
Although they may not receive the praise they deserve, a malfunctioning or broken gutter can cost thousands and thousands of dollars down the road. Keep them from being full of fresh rainwater by having them cleaned regularly.
3. “A little extra effort would be nice…”
While most resources online tell you to check out your gutters twice a year (in the Spring and Fall), it’s always better to be safe than sorry with them. Although you may be able to stave off huge problems by doing these bi-annual checks, you can make sure your gutters (and, by literal extension, your roofs) are in no mortal peril with a visual check two to three times each during the transitory seasons and once each during summer and winter.
For windows higher than a single story, make sure your downspout is draining completely, and consider having your gutters looked at once during each of the four seasons.
4. “No trust falls here, buddy.”
Depending on the height of your house, climbing a ladder to clean your gutters is either a great way to save some money or the last decision you’ll make outside of what color harp you want at the Pearly Gates.
If your gutters are more than a standard story above the ground, think twice before climbing a ladder to scoop them out. Movies may show a hero grappling a gutter after sliding down a steep roof embankment. However, the reality is that this reflex won’t save you and will only add the cost of new gutters and flashing to whatever medical bills you’re looking at from the fall.
Your gutter is not built or attached to accommodate the weight of an adult human being (or even a child). Even if your spring fitness program has made the numbers on the scale more agreeable, unless you weigh as much as a Pomeranian, don’t count on your gutters for a safe grab.
We created a quick-read infographic on Safety Musts Before Attempting a DIY Roofing Project. You can download it here.
5. “I’m f-f-f-f-freezing!”
We’ve discussed how bad ice dams can be for your roof on a number of occasions. These are primarily of concern during Winter. However, it is important to keep in mind that Spring and Fall can both offer surprisingly frigid temperatures, especially overnight.
While these temperatures usually return to above freezing, frozen material in your gutters can lead to clogs as sediment builds up near the ice. Investing in a heated gutter protection unit can help relieve any anxiety about frozen gutters or ice dam formation.
6. “Give me a hat!”
Ultimately, the best way to both eliminate your worries about your gutters and keep them healthy and functioning properly is to invest in a hat – or a gutter protection unit.
At Security-Luebke Roofing, we’ve installed over 1,000,000 feet of GutterTopper in Appleton, Green Bay, Kaukauna, the Fox Cities and beyond! GutterTopper gives you the peace of mind that your gutters aren’t filling up with leaves or sediment and are instead going to be an asset and not a liability when heavy rain falls down.
Additionally, GutterTopper can be augmented with the HotTopper. The HotTopper keeps your GutterTopper nice and warm, which prevents ice from forming – overnight in the Spring and Fall or creating ice dams in the Winter.
It’s a great way to make your gutters part of a worry-free roof.
Above all, your gutters would like to thank you for investing time and care in their well-being. Like most great professional relationships, spending the time and energy to take care is just as beneficial for you as it is for your home and your gutters.
For questions about gutter care, service, or GutterTopper installation, be sure to contact us today!