Keeping up with your gutters this fall

Gutter Blog

Let’s be honest, gutter maintenance stinks. It’s a time consuming chore that nobody enjoys.  However, neglecting gutter repair can result in potentially permanent damage to your house. The best defense is a good offense and getting aggressive now with gutter protection and preparation can save you time, stress, and money later. Consider investing in Gutter Guards to avoid clogged gutters all together. Here are a few steps you can take to insure your gutters are ready for the upcoming our Upstate New York fall:

Clean

  1. Clean leaves, needles, dirt and other debris out using a sturdy ladder and protective gloves. Don’t try to cut corners by attempting to flush debris out with running water, which can often clog drainage pipes and downspouts, leading to even more work.

Remove

  1. Remove any sticky, dark colored goop with a small trowel. This gunk can form when tiny granules from asphalt roofing shingles mix with dirt and water. Buildup can completely clog your gutters and necessitate a complete replacement.

Flush

  1. After the previous steps, use a garden hose to flush out any remaining material in the upper gutters, then snake it up the drainage spout and do the same.

Align

  1. Make sure gutters are properly aligned so that there aren’t any dips where water will pool without draining. Gutters should be sloped approximately 1 vertical inch for every 15-20 feet of gutter in order to ensure proper drainage.

Hang

  1. Install new hangers to make sure gutters are held firmly in place. Gutters are typically installed with straps, hangers, or long nails. Replacing straps and re-nailing old nails is inadvisable because it requires pulling up roofing to get at them. It’s a smarter move to just make repairs with individual gutter hangers and screws, which will hold much longer than nails.

Fix

  1. Fix Leaks: Fix any leaks located along seams with silicone sealer. While there are purchasable patch kits for larger rust holes, they are temporary and it’s often smarter to just purchase replacement gutters.

Replace

  1. If you need to replace any gutters give us a call. We offer a variety of styles and materials, gutter repair and maintenance to help keep your gutters in proper condition