Most people who only have half a weekend day to devote to keeping their house maintained don’t usually pay attention to their gutters. They are up high and beyond our line of sight. Time is better spent mowing the lawn than scaling a ladder to make sure gutters are clean and downspouts are working and properly configured, right? While it is true that your gutters shouldn’t need weekly attention like your lawn, they should be an item on your quarterly house maintenance schedule. If you have noticed water flowing over the edge of a gutter, leaking out of a downspout seam, or pooling anywhere near your house structure, you may want to skip the lawn this weekend.
The truth is that water can be one of the more destructive enemies to your home (think on the same level as termites and carpenter ants), and it can cause serious damage over time. You may have a sump pump to protect your basement from flooding or even keep a pie pan under the kitchen sink to catch the occasional drip from the trap… don’t ignore the outside! Water that is not draining through a gutter and a downspout and properly routed away from your home, could find its way to destruction. Prolonged moisture can damage foundations, lead to mildew & mold, and become an attraction to insects. Often gutter can overflow on to decks, porches, steps, and railings creating rot over time making them potentially dangerous.
Although gutter cleaning and repair are jobs that Handy Andy can’t personally take on, there are many companies out there that specialize in these services if you need help. Some people don’t mind climbing a ladder and making sure these outdoor passageways are clear but for others, this is a job best left for the professionals. Many roofing contractors also offer this service.
If you find that you have some water damage that you would like us to evaluate for you, we would be happy to do so but do not ignore the source of the problem either. As is true for things that require maintenance- it is always cheaper to maintain regularly than have to replace prematurely!