Preparing your Gutters for Spring
Gutters are your first line of defense against the wet.
With spring quickly approaching, you can anticipate a large number of rain storms here in the northeast. The last thing homeowners want to deal with after a long winter are leaky gutters. As your roof’s drainage system, and without them functioning properly you may have some serious issues. They are responsible for carrying away the thousands of gallons of water that lands on your roof every year. They are not easy to maintain for most homeowners but play an important part in how well your home serves you. Many homeowners neglect gutter maintenance, which is a huge mistake.
Colder Climates
In colder climates, ice dams can form on the gutters. This may cause water to pool up on the lower edge of the roof. Ultimately this causes water to build up and seep into your home. A clogged gutter system is often the reason these issues arise. Not cleaning your them out backs-up the system and prevents water from draining off the roof. If you begin to see dark areas on the ceiling, make sure to call a professional at People Products to come do an assessment. A gutter problem won’t solve itself, and neglecting to have this looked at will only make the issue worse.
After a rough or even a somewhat mild winter, spring gutter problems are frustrating. You’ve got a winter’s worth of branches and debris that have dropped into your gutters. If your winter was particularly harsh, you could be dealing with gutters that have been pulled from the fascia of your home. This happens when snow builds up throughout the winter and gets too heavy for the gutters. Most people don’t even want to bother getting up on a ladder to clean the gutters, with good reason. It’s dangerous and dirty work that people would prefer to avoid. Most people will say “What’s a little water dripping from the gutter going to do”? The answer? Potentially major damage to the most expensive thing you might ever own.
What Can Gutters do for You?
Gutters help direct the flow of water away from your house to a place where the water can be more easily absorbed into the ground, and away from your home. You will benefit from your spring landscaping projects you are about to jump into. When your clogged gutters are filled with leaves, are leaky, or are simply falling apart, they’re not doing their job. And if they aren’t doing their job, your house becomes more at risk with every passing storm. This even affects the foundation of your home because the soil can expand and result in contraction which may lead to the start of foundation issues around the home.
Replacements
Replacing your gutters is fairly inexpensive. A foundation repair though will run deep into your pockets. The average cost of foundation repair ranges from $10,000 to $14,000, none of which adds a dime to the resale value of your home, and is void of any curb appeal. It’s merely a necessary repair. Money spent, never to recoup. Peoples Products uses the highest quality .032 gauge seamless aluminum gutters and accompanying GutterMonster Gutter Guard Protection System. Let the Experts at Peoples Products assess your current Water Management System and help you to live worry-free of water damage issues.
Spring gutter problems should be addressed before summer thunderstorms hit. A flash summer storm can cause gutters to overflow in a matter of moments, therefore address these problems early. The name of the game is prevention. The last thing you need after a rough winter/spring is to not have your home prepared for a massive summer thunderstorm. You should prepare for this with at least a seasonal cleaning of your gutters and a thorough cleaning after any severe storms that may cause debris to pile up in your gutters. Even plant life can grow in your gutters if they are not well maintained.
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For more information on GutterMonster, visit their website HERE.
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