Do Your Gutters Need to be Pre-Spring Cleaned?
Every year when spring rolls around we are reminded of all the areas in and around our homes that could use a bit of sprucing up, if not outright spring cleaning. There are some areas of your house that can benefit from sprucing up even before spring arrives. On top of all the outdoor maintenance we do for our homes, like beginning to garden and cleaning up the yard, making sure that a home’s gutter system is in top working order should be a top priority for a pre-spring spruce up!
Gutter Pre-Spring Cleaning Checklist
Winter can be very hard on your home’s gutter system. Hopefully, there were no damaging snow or winter storms that necessitated any serious repairs. But even without the presence of any damage to your system, winter can cause issues to your gutters and roof. Even if you cleaned your gutters or even had your gutters professionally cleaned, early spring is an important time to have them checked again. Here are a few of the things to check for in and around your gutters before spring arrives to make sure that your home is fully prepared.
- Examine your gutter system for any minor damage such as cracks or leaks in the seals. Early spring is the perfect time to make sure that no damage was done to seals or fasteners by ice or heavy wind gusts.
- Check to make sure that water flows freely through the gutters and make note of any obstructions such as nests and clumps of mud.
- Clean any sticks, leaves, mud or debris from your gutters. Leaves, sticks, and other falling debris from windy storms can collect in the gutter systems during the winter months. Make sure these are cleared away prior to the spring storms that so often accompany this season.
- Check for any fascia board damage. The fascia board is the material mounted to your home where the roof meets the outer walls of your home. Examine your fascia and gutter system for any sagging or bowing which might indicate that your home’s fascia is damaged. Another tell-tale sign of fascia damage is finding spikes that have fallen out of place or have become loose. See if any repairs are necessary and call a professional to plan the next steps.
- Check the trees surrounding your home.. Winter storms can cause damage to neighboring trees when heavy snow or ice accumulation weighs limbs down causing bending, bowing or breakage. Check to make sure that there are no tree limbs touching your roof or gutter system. Touching limbs or even just tree limbs that are too close to the gutters can cause damage if they break or are blown into the gutter system by a windy spring storm.
Pre-Spring Gutter Cleaning for Better Home Health
Whether you have endured a particularly tough winter or a mild one, a well-functioning gutter system is integral to protecting your home’s health. Make sure your gutters are in top shape by taking care of any issues before spring arrives. Spruce up your home by calling Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning®. Our professionals will inspect every aspect of your gutter system from the fixtures to the fascia to the gutters to the seals. We will clean what’s left of the winter and prepare your house for whatever spring might throw your way.
