Gutter Cleaning FAQ: Your Questions Answered Here
We receive a lot of questions from our customers about gutter cleaning and maintenance so we thought we’d assemble a list of the most common questions we receive and assemble them into a gutter cleaning FAQ. Here you will learn why your gutters should be cleaned, when the best time to clean them is, and what happens during the gutter cleaning process.
Enjoy our gutter cleaning FAQ!
Gutter Cleaning FAQ: Why?
Do I have to clean my gutters?
If your home has gutters, then yes. Over time, debris can accumulate in gutters preventing good water flow, and mold, mildew, or even moss can begin to grow. By cleaning your gutters regularly you are ensuring that they are fully functional and will last longer.
Why do I need to clean my gutters?
Along with your roof, your gutters are the first line of defense in protecting your home from rainwater damage. Gutters act as a mechanism to filter water away from your home so that damage does not occur to your roof, windows, walls, basement, or foundation.
Clogged gutters can cause your gutter system to back up and overflow or even cause parts of your gutter to come loose, resulting in unexpected water damage.
How do I know if my gutters need cleaning?
There are several warning signs that your gutters need to be cleaned:
- You see water flowing over the top of your gutters. This indicates that your gutters are clogged to the extent that water can not drain down the gutter channel fully.
- You see debris in your gutters. Sometimes, it’s obvious even when it’s not raining. If you see leaves collecting in your gutters, other debris, plants growing, or even signs of animals, like a bird's nest, you are ready to have your gutters cleaned.
- Your downspouts have water coming out of them but the flow appears irregular. This may mean that you have a clog in your downspout which could eventually back up enough to cause water to flow over your gutters completely.
- Your gutters are damaged or have holes in them. Sometimes storms, wind, hail, or falling tree limbs, can cause damage to your gutters moving them out of place or creating cracks. In these cases, repair may be as simple as affixing the gutter back into place or it may require a more extensive replacement of components.
What is the value of having my gutters cleaned?
Clogged and damaged gutters can result in water damage to your home including your roof, siding, basement, and foundation. The cost to repair or replace these areas can become very costly - well into the thousands of dollars.
Learn more about the costs of not keeping your gutters clean and well maintained.
Isn’t my roof designed to protect my home from the rain? Why are the gutters so important?
Your roof is designed to protect your home from rainwater, but standing or pooling water on your roof can cause your shingles to rot, leak and crack. Gutters help water flow away from your roof, protecting your roof investment for the 15 - 30 years you expect to have that roof.
If I have gutter guards, do I still need to get my gutters cleaned?
Gutter guards are great because they eliminate most of the debris that can get trapped inside and clog your gutters. We still recommend that your gutters and downspouts be inspected at least once per year to ensure there are no damaged areas of concern and that pollen and other small debris haven’t accumulated, requiring removal. Learn more about gutter guards for your home.
Gutter Cleaning FAQ: When?
How often do I need to clean my gutters?
The frequency of gutter cleaning largely depends on the number of trees that are around your home and where your home is located. Homes located in areas that have four seasons may require more seasonal gutter cleaning due to the types of tree pollen and leaf debris that may accumulate at different times over the year.
Generally, we recommend gutter cleaning two to three times per year - at the start of spring, during the summer, and then in the fall after all of the leaves have dropped.
Do I need to have my gutters cleaned in the spring if I just did it in the fall?
Spring is a very important time to have your gutters cleaned. During the spring, many trees shed seed pods, and flowers and pollen can accumulate in your gutters. The seed pods can be especially dangerous as they fall in large numbers. Even if you do not have trees directly over or next to your home, seed pods, flowers and pollen are light enough to travel in the wind, potentially landing in your gutters.
Do snow and ice damage gutters?
The danger of having a lot of snow on your roof and in your gutters is that, as it melts, ice and snow can prevent the water from draining down the channel and downspout - especially if there is debris in the gutters as well. For this reason, we recommend a thorough cleaning before the first snowfall to ensure that melted snow can drain correctly.
Gutter Cleaning FAQ: What is Included?
What does gutter cleaning entail?
Gutter cleaning includes the removal of leaves and other debris from your gutters and downspouts to ensure that water can properly flow along the channels and away from your home. At Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island, our process entails:
- Hosing off your gutters and rinsing off loose debris
- Cleaning out your gutters by hand and then flushing them with water
- The gutter system is inspected for proper pitch, drainage, and structural viability
- Your soffits and fascia board is inspected for potential damage
Learn more about our gutter cleaning services.
Do you clean my downspouts as well?
We will flush out your downspouts to ensure that water can flow through your gutter channels and down the downspouts properly, away from your home.
Do you remove leaves from my roof as well?
We will brush away loose debris that is near your gutters. If your roof has a lot of debris, we can remove it all for an additional fee.
What do you do with the debris that you remove?
Any debris that we remove from your roof or has been flushed from your gutters will be cleaned up and removed from your property by the technician.
How long will it take to clean my gutters?
The time it takes to clean your gutters depends upon the size of your home and the amount of debris to be removed. Generally, gutter cleaning takes between 1 - 2 hours.
Gutter Cleaning FAQ: Why Ned Stevens?
Can I just clean the gutters myself or do I need to hire someone like Ned Stevens?
For some homeowners, the task of cleaning the gutters is fairly straightforward. If your home is one story and not impeded by any large tree limbs, you may be comfortable doing the work yourself.
Keep in mind that if you are not thrilled at the idea of climbing up a ladder, you may want to pass the baton to a professional and avoid the potential dangers of gutter cleaning. If you have a large amount of debris, fear that your downspouts are clogged, or have a two-story home or one with very steep rooflines, hiring a gutter cleaning expert, like Ned Stevens, may be a safer choice.
Contact Us for Gutter Cleaning
Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island has been serving homeowners in Nassau County and Suffolk County since 1965. Contact us today for your gutter cleaning, gutter repair, or gutter replacement needs.
Our gutter cleaning services include seasonal, cost-saving contract options so that you never have to worry about scheduling your gutter cleaning again!
