5 Little-Known Secret Benefits of Gutter Cleaning
Your gutters are an integral part of your home's overall well being, and the benefits of gutter cleaning trickle down from your roof to your walls, foundation, and landscape. However, if you neglect this essential home maintenance item, it can quickly morph from a necessity into a ghoulish nightmare. The best solution is to enjoy all of the benefits of gutter cleaning — even the ones you had no idea about, like the ones listed below.
Natural Pest & Rodent Control
Although your gutters may not actually repel insects and rodents, it can help prevent them from entering your home. A multitude of critters absolutely love damp, dark and remote places like gutters, such as rodents, birds, bees, and a long list of other insects.
In addition to being home to decaying leaf matter, dirty gutters can contain bacteria and mold spores that can further attract rodents and pose a significant health risk when inhaled. However, by having your gutters cleaned, you can reduce the likelihood of a rodent or pest nest living in your gutters.
Don't Void Your Warranty
Is your home a new home with the manufacturer's warranty or an additional warranty? Have you recently had a new roof installed or roof repair performed on your home? In either case, one of the top secret benefits of gutter cleaning is that it could be a condition of your warranty.
If you fail to take proper care of your gutters and they overflow to damage part of your roof or home, your warranty will most likely not cover the repairs. Failure to schedule regular gutter cleaning can almost always costs you exponentially more in the long run. In addition, make sure you keep proof of the gutter cleaning in the event you need it to settle a dispute with the warranty and/or insurance company.
Help Prevent the Formation of Ice Dams
In colder climates like Long Island, ice dams will typically form on the bottom edges of your roof or gutters. Once they form, it can result in pooling water that eventually makes its way into your home. Ice dams are caused by a unique combination of cold, heat and snow.
When snow falls onto your roof, the heat from the inside of your home can cause some of the snow to melt - since heat rises, this usually occurs at the higher sections of your roof. The melting water from the snow will trickle down into your gutters and refreeze - forming large icicles or ice dams.
This cycle continues as the ice dams are fed by more melting snow. The entire time water continues to build and accumulate. Eventually, the water will find its way underneath the shingles on your roof and into your walls, attic, soffits, etc.
One of the benefits of gutter cleaning is that it can help prevent ice dams from forming by allowing your gutters to properly do their job, which is to channel water away from your home.
Protect Your Landscape
One of the core benefits of gutter cleaning is it helps ensure you're able to channel water away from your home. Clogged gutters are much more susceptible to being damaged and unable to retain water. When this happens, water will leak out onto your landscape and plants. Overwatered plants can turn dull and eventually die, which causes a drowned and ugly landscape.
Save Money & Reduce the Risk of Water Damage
The gutters on your home play a vital role in protecting your house - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Even so, they are often overlooked and serve as some of the most underrated barriers against water your home has. If your gutters are blocked with debris, leaves, and twigs - your home may be left defenseless to the destructive nature of water.
Properly functioning, clean gutters will re-route water away from your siding, roof, and foundation. These are the three areas that can suffer the most devastating effects from water. If left unchecked, the dampening will worsen over time and cause mildew and mold.
By failing to have your gutters cleaned, you may risk basement flooding, needing to have roof replacement, siding replaced, or have extensive damage done to your foundation. All three of these home repairs cost exponentially more than having your gutters cleaned. Because of this, one of the most attractive benefits of gutter cleaning is the amount of money it can save you.
Contact Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island to Learn More About the Benefits of Gutter Cleaning
Your home is most likely the largest purchase you'll make in your lifetime, and having regularly scheduled gutter cleanings is one inexpensive way to protect your investment.
Contact Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning of Long Island today for a free gutter cleaning or installation quote.
