When the fall foliage starts to turn, it’s a reminder that your gutters will soon be filled with falling leaves. We often get asked when the best time for a cleaning is during the fall season and how to prepare for the winter months. Left uncleaned, gutters can clog, overflow, and cause damage throughout your home. Avoid the mess and plan to clean and maintain your gutter health. This guide aims to provide answers, leaning on Aerotech’s 35+ years in the gutter cleaning and service industry.
Why Autumn is the Most Important Gutter Cleaning Season of the Year
You guessed it, the leaves! As leaves begin to drop, your home’s gutters are quickly filled with debris. While some blow away, others can get into your downspout, create clogs, and impede proper water flow. We recommend cleaning your gutters at least twice yearly (once in the spring and once in the fall) for optimal gutter health. Some homes may require additional cleaning, like those that deal with pine needles, have trees directly near the home, or experience excess rain showers.
If you don’t have a lot of leaves, that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to neglect your gutters. You’d be surprised by how much dirt, twigs, and other debris can end up in gutter systems— sometimes even dead birds or wasp nests can cause serious clogs. Not to mention pests who seek it out as a nesting spot, mossy growth, and other gutter hazards that might be lurking. Be sure to investigate your gutter health several times per year, even if you don’t see piles of leaves accumulating.
Would you rather let the pros handle it? Learn more about our gutter cleaning services.
How to Know When During Fall To Clean Your Gutters
The best way to determine if it’s time to clean your gutters is to monitor the amount of leaves on the trees near your home. When most of the leaves have fallen from the trees in late fall, it’s a good idea to plan your cleaning. If you notice any other clues like piles of leaves or debris around your home, empty trees, or signs of water around your gutters, it’s probably time to get your cleaning scheduled.
What About the Other Seasons?
As we mentioned before, the big seasons for gutters are fall and spring. You should be investigating your gutter health around these times of the year. You wouldn’t neglect spring cleaning inside your home, so be sure to give your gutters some attention when the trees bloom again! Learn more about what you need to do for spring gutter cleaning.
Summer and winter usually need less attention, but if you live in certain climates or under trees that produce year-round debris, you’ll want to keep an eye on their status during these months as well. If you experience freezing in the winter, that can be an especially important time to check on your gutters to prevent damage like ice dams.
Fall Gutter Cleaning Tips: How To Clean Your Gutters
As you prepare to clean your gutters, it’s important to remember that good gutter cleaning is about more than just removing blockages and debris. It’s about making sure they’re ready to handle the increased rain on its way and that you’ll have proper drainage when it comes. Take the precautions you need to stay safe while cleaning your gutters.
Step One: Gather Your Tools
You’ll need several tools before you get started. Gather the following, and make sure you’re wearing eye protection before you begin.
- A sturdy ladder
- Gloves
- Gutter cleaning tool or scoop
- A trowel
- Debris removal bag or compost bin
- A garden hose
Step Two: Clear Out Leaves, Dirt, and Other Debris Starting With The Downspout
Using a gutter scoop, remove the accumulated leaves, twigs, and debris from your gutters, beginning at the downspout and working your way back to the closed end. Bag debris as you go for easy disposal.
Step Three: Once Clean, Check for Signs of Leaks, Cracks, or Damage
Once the debris is removed, you can visually inspect your gutters for cracks, leaks, or signs of damage in the system. You might run a garden hose for a few moments to see how the water is draining. If you find damage, it’s important to bring in a professional for a repair right away.
The Benefits of Working with a Professional
At Aerotech, we’re called The Gutter Experts for good reason. With over 35 years of experience cleaning, repairing, and replacing gutters– there’s not a single gutter problem we haven’t seen before. Our team is quick, and cleanings can take as little as 10-20 minutes. We also provide a professional inspection that gives you peace of mind.
Don’t risk ladder injuries or voiding your gutter warranty by DIY’ing your gutter cleaning– bring in the professionals at Aerotech for a simple, affordable gutter solution.
Quiz: Do You Need A Gutter Professional?
Clogged Gutters Can Cause Serious Damage Come Fall
Water Damage During Rainy Season
Gutters are installed for a good reason. Water sheeting off the roof onto your home’s foundation can cause flooding, cracks, and damage like mold or mildew to come into your home. But it’s not just the ground you need to worry about– heavy, clogged gutters can pull away from the fascia of your house and cause roof leaks as well.
Foundation Issues
Water can pool around the home’s foundation when it isn’t drained away. This can cause cracks, settling, and other structural issues that require costly repairs. Not to mention, it damages your beautiful landscaping!
Frozen Water Where It Doesn’t Belong
In colder climates, buildup in gutters can contribute to the formation of ice dams, which prevent melting snow from draining properly off your roofing. If not properly remedied, this can cause water to back into your home.
Schedule Regular Service with The Gutter Experts at Aerotech
Our biggest fall gutter cleaning tips? Aerotech offers cleaning and maintenance programs that are tailored to your home’s specific needs. Connect with us to schedule your FREE estimate and get started on a journey to better gutter health today!