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How to Deep Clean Your Gutters This Spring

Close Up of Homeowner Cleaning Their Gutters | K-Guard St. Louis

All of us at K-Guard St. Louis are thrilled that spring has finally sprung! While we’ll miss some things about winter, we’re welcoming the warmer weather and another season of cheering on our Cardinals. Along with springtime fun comes household chores that we all tackle each spring, otherwise known as spring cleaning.

Deep cleaning our home’s exterior and the interior is refreshing, and a way to get out all of the dirt and grime that fall and winter left behind. There are walkways and siding to pressure wash, landscaping to spruce up, a deep clean of the entire inside of the home, and so many other things homeowners deep clean each spring. One thing that should always be included on your spring cleaning list is cleaning your gutter system. 

If you’re unfamiliar with how to properly deep clean your gutters or if you’d like a refresher, continue reading as we share how to deep clean your gutters this spring.

 

Why Do I Need to Clean My Gutters?

You may be wondering why it’s so important to clean your gutters. No one sees the inside of them, so it’s kind of out of sight, out of mind, right? This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s crucial to your roof and your home’s foundation to keep your gutters as clean as possible year-round. 

 Untidy gutters easily form clogs resulting in a whole slew of issues like overflowing gutters, sagging gutters, a leaky basement, interior leaks, poor ventilation, foundation damage, structural damage, damage to your roof, etc. A home’s gutter system is the drainage system, functioning to collect and direct water away from the home, keeping your roof and foundation as dry as possible.

When a traditional half-round gutter system isn’t cleaned often, debris can collect and form clogs. Pests and insects also find untidy half-round gutters appealing, acting quickly to call them home. Cleaning your gutters often is crucial to prevent clogs and keep pests and insects out.

 

How Do I Deep Clean My Gutter System?

Homeowners often dread the daunting task of cleaning their gutters. It can be dangerous as the use of a ladder is required to reach the inside of the gutters. Along with it being dangerous, cleaning the gutters is a time-consuming task that can take many hours to complete, especially if your home is on the larger side.

Assuming you feel comfortable using a ladder, follow the steps below to deep clean your gutter system. If you don’t feel comfortable using a ladder and cleaning your gutters, ask a family member or friend to clean them for you. You could also hire a professional gutter cleaning service – just be sure they’re reputable and possess all required licenses and insurances.

 

Step 1

Gather all of the materials you’ll need to clean your gutter system. You’ll need the following items: a ladder, gloves, scoop, bucket, garden hose, and perhaps a plumber’s snake. Once you have all of these items then you’re ready to begin cleaning your gutter system.

Step 2

Start by removing all debris from the gutters themselves. Remove leaves, silt, twigs, rocks, and any signs that pests have been calling your gutters home or may attract them (nests, insects, etc.). With gloves on, remove as much debris as you can by using the scoop and placing the debris into a bucket.

Step 3

Next, if you notice your downspouts are clogged, place a foot or two of the plumber’s snake into each corner where the gutters meet the downspout – doing so will remove leaves and other debris that’s clogged.

Step 4

Finally, finish cleaning your gutter system by using a garden house to flush out any debris that you were unable to remove by hand. Silt, tiny rocks, and even roof sediment are hard to remove by hand so flushing it all with a garden hose should get most of the debris out. 

 

How Often Should I Clean My Gutters?

Gutters should be cleaned at least two times per year according to the National Center for Healthy Housing. How often you should clean your gutter system depends on a few different factors like how many trees are near your home and local weather conditions. If your property has a lot of trees that are close to your home then you may want to clean them three to four times per year. On the contrary, if you don’t have many trees on your property or any near your home, then you can stick to cleaning them twice a year.

Living in the St. Louis region means we experience all four seasons and see severe weather all year long. From active winters that bring snow and ice to the rainy season and the severe thunderstorms that bring hail, our local weather conditions can be unpredictable and intense. Because of our weather patterns, leaves and debris easily make their way into half-round gutter systems which is why they should be cleaned often to help prevent clogs.

Following the gutter cleaning guide above will help you avoid clogged gutters. Clogs are extremely common in half-round gutter systems, so the only way to truly prevent them is to install the K-Guard Leaf Free Gutter System.

Unlike an open-top or half-round gutter system where the gutters themselves are exposed, our product has a curved hood that enables leaves and other debris to simply slide off the gutter system rather than entering the gutter through the narrow opening where only water adheres. Simply put, you’ll never need to clean your K-Guard Gutters! Our gutter system is backed by three-lifetime warranties including a no chip, no pull away, and no-clog warranty. 

 

We offer free in-home estimates that include a detailed analysis of your current gutter system along with estimated costs for installing your K-Guard Gutter System. K-Guard proudly offers our gutter installation service to homeowners in St. Louis and surrounding areas including, but not limited to, the following locations:

We look forward to helping you eliminate the need to clean your gutters!

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