Cleaning and maintaining a home or building’s gutters is critical to the health of a home. Rain gutters are important as they control the water that hits your roof and direct it away from your house. Without gutters, or, with clogged or damaged gutters, your home can sustain a significant amount of damage to the roof, foundation, landscaping and even sidewalks and driveways of a home or business.  

Birds’ nests, leaves, weeds and sludge and muck are the most common objects that cause damage and clogging to your gutters. A mesh over your gutters can help prevent birds and other animals such as squirrels from making your gutters their homes. Covered gutter systems may be effective in preventing excessive debris buildup, but these are not maintenance-free. 

Gutters help avoid water collection on a roof which can cause mold growth, damage and rot and weaken shingles, soffit and fascia. According to Forbes, roof repairs can run anywhere from $150 – $7000 with the national average being $950. This also depends on the size and scale of the repair and whether you hire a professional or not.  

A few inches of rain can create thousands of gallons of run-off water. Directing this run-off away from the foundation of the home or building is imperative to prevent the excess water from saturating the surrounding soil and/or causing entering through cracks in the foundation. Excess moisture inside can lead to mold and mildew growth, wood rot, foundational cracking and can even cause indoor air quality problems. Run-off can also channel water to areas where it should not be and could cause erosion to landscaping, sidewalks and driveways. 

According to BobVila.com, foundation repairs run from minor issues that can cost as little as $500 for minor cracks and upwards of $10,000 or more. The average homeowner pays between $2000 and $7000 for foundation repairs. 

Most professionals recommend that gutters be cleaned twice a year (spring and fall). Please see below for some additional tips: 

• If you are cleaning your gutters yourself, be sure to take precautions such as: have a spotter when up on the ladder and be sure to maintain 3-point contact on the ladder. Wear sturdy gripping shoes (especially if you need to get on the roof) and gloves to protect your hands and arms from sharp debris. And wear slip-proof shoes.  
• A gutter scoop is a convenient tool for removing leaves and other debris.  
• Use a hose or a power washer to flush out the gutters, always directing the water away from the house.  
• Have a dropcloth handy so you can drop debris to the ground while you work and for ease of clean up. 
• For difficult access, use a plumbing snake to break through debris.  

If you find yourself in need of professional gutter cleaning or repair, Axium has partnered with Ableman Gutter Services who can be reached at 720-689-2889.