subject: Keep Your Gutters Clean [print this page] Roof gutters are a great convenience and keep your roof and house in good condition. To keep your roof gutters in good condition, it's important to clean them properly and regularly.
Spring cleaning is a good time to clean your roof gutters - it's easy to remember the gutter needs to be cleaned when you are getting the rest of your home and yard ready for warm weather. No matter what style your gutters are, they'll need regular cleaning. If you live in an old house, the gutters may need more attention simply because both the gutters and your roof will have withstood more wear and tear in an old house than a new one. If there are trees that drop your leaves on or near your roof or gutters, you should also clean your roof gutters in the fall - before your roof begins getting snow.
Roof gutters are made to funnel water off your roof, but any gutter system - whether you have copper gutters, steel gutters, or aluminum gutters - can become clogged an ineffective when leaves or other debris get stuck in the gutters. To clean your roof gutters, you'll need a ladder or some other safe way to reach the gutters all around your roof. It's a good idea to have someone help you - they can spot you on the ladder and keep track of which gutters have already been cleaned and where the gutters still need to be checked.
Check the roof gutters for leaves or other debris, and remove anything lodged in the gutter or resting nearby on the roof (that will certainly end up in the gutter shortly). Gloves can protect your hands from sharp gutter edges and any questionable or hazardous (read: sharp!) debris stuck in your roof gutters. Your gutter system (again, whether copper gutters, steel gutters, aluminum gutters, or cast iron gutters - they all need to be cleaned out) should be free and clear of any clogs or debris.
Having clear roof gutters allows your gutter system to work as it was intended - to drain the water off your roof and through the steel or aluminum (or whatever style your gutters are) piping, landing any drainage safely away from your roof or walls. Once your roof gutters are cleared, check the rest of the gutter system - the rain gutter or gutters that drains water from the roof gutters down the side of the house and any storm drains that further protect your yard and home.
If you have a round or closed gutter system, your gutters may need less frequent maintenance as the closed gutter pipe will allow less opportunity for debris. The more common open, or half pipe, gutters effectively drain water but also accumulate debris easily. As you maintain your roof gutters, you will begin to get an idea of how frequently you need to clean your gutter system. You may find that some areas of your roof gutters, such as near a tree, or a steeper pitch of roof, need to be cleaned more frequently, whereas other sections of your roof gutters can go longer between cleanings.
The time spent keeping your roof gutters clear of debris and in good repair will be well worth it - a functioning gutter system will prevent leaks and other roof problems.
