What Time of Year Should You Clean Gutters
Many homeowners think of cleaning their gutters as a real chore, regardless of whether they tackle it themselves or hire professionals to do it. As you can imagine, if your gutters are left unattended for a long period of time, they can very easily become blocked and cause a major headache. You’ll be left in a far worse situation as your gutters can become damaged, corroded and cause drainage issues from large blockages.
So, now that you’ve decided that your gutters need some maintenance, when is the best time of year to clean them? Let’s find out…
Should I clean my gutters before or after Autumn?
If your gutters are blocked, any time is a good time to clean them out!
With that in mind, a lot of people leave the cleaning of their gutters until the end of Autumn after all the leaves have fallen. It seems like a good idea, because then you can remove all the leaves that have fallen in bulk before Winter. But this may not be the optimal time for cleaning.
We generally recommend a pre-Autumn clean, you may actually be worse off if you leave it until after Autumn. The sheer volume of leaves, sticks and other debris dropped throughout Autumn can very quickly build up in your gutter. This makes cleaning a mammoth task at the end of the fall season. You’re also far less likely to want to organise or carry out this task during the cold weather of late Autumn to early Winter. So try to get it done beforehand to ensure they are completely clean heading into the changing of seasons.
What about gutter cleaning in Summer?
Summertime can cause issues for you if your gutters aren’t clean. Excess leaf litter in your gutter can pose a fire hazard to your home, so remove any leaf litter and debris from your gutter before Summer begins. In some areas it’s also a good idea to have a fire-resistant Gutter Guard installed. In storm-prone areas, the debris clogging your gutter can also cause unforeseen damage to your home, so make sure your gutters are neat and tidy before the stormy summer season rolls around.
Does the number of trees near my home make a difference to the best time to clean gutters?
If your home is not surrounded by trees, your gutters may not need to be cleaned as frequently. That said, keep an eye on your gutters even if you don’t have many trees nearby, as something could have landed itself there between your regular cleaning routine. If trees do surround your home, keep overhanging branches trimmed to limit the amount of leaf litter falling into the gutters and book in frequent maintenance with your local gutter cleaning professionals. Generally, once every few months (between seasons) is a good cleaning schedule for houses with lots of trees around. But if you clean your gutters every 6-12 months, you’ll still be way ahead of some of the badly neglected roofs that we see.
It is always a good time to clean your gutters if they’re looking blocked. Leaving your gutters unattended for extended periods of time can cause many issues that may not have an easy fix. Cleaning your gutters regularly avoids most problems and alerts you to any issues that may require professional help before they become a disaster.
For professional gutter cleaning services, year-round, call our qualified team on 1300 BOX GUTTER (1300 269 488) today!