If you own a home with gutters, then cleaning them is not optional. Whether you go the DIY route or choose to hire a professional, cleaning your gutters is a crucial part of your home’s maintenance, and putting it off too long can become a costly mistake.
When your gutters aren’t regularly cleaned (at least twice a year), you’re going to run into some major issues.
Here are three reasons why it’s important to clean your gutters.
1. You can prevent damage, or catch it before it gets worse.
No one has ever said being a homeowner was cheap. If you’re smart, though, you can avoid many problems that other homeowners face, like damage that comes from not cleaning your gutters. Clogged gutters can cause water to sit on top of your roof shingles, roof valleys, and gutters themselves, which can lead to leaks in your roof and your walls. Repairing or replacing your roof can be a huge expense by itself, but when there’s also interior damage to your home, the bill can become astronomical. When you take the time to clean your gutters, or make a point to hire a professional who can, you can prevent damage or catch it before it gets worse.
2. You can control the pest population.
You didn’t think gutters were just to catch rainwater, did you? Believe it or not, gutters are the preferred home of many pests. When natural debris fills your gutters, it becomes an incredibly inviting place for many pests to call home, including mosquitoes, mice, worms, and wasps. Cleaning your gutters means natural debris won’t collect in a thick layer, and you won’t have to worry about evicting pests that come with additional problems and costs.
3. You can increase your home’s value.
If you were house hunting and saw a home with sagging, overflowing, clogged gutters, what would you think? Well, for starters, you’d probably assume that the homeowner didn’t take very good care of their home to begin with, and that’s a red flag. The home would have minimal curb appeal, and certainly not reach its potential value. When you keep your gutters cleaned and in good condition, not only is your home less likely to have any damage, but it’s sure to have much more curb appeal and an increased value, too. The benefits of cleaning your gutters are truly endless.