Salem roofers recommend cleaning your gutters twice a year for the average home. Once at the beginning of fall and once at the beginning of spring would be ideal.
It’s easy to forget about, or not even consider, cleaning your gutters. It is by far one of the most commonly overlooked home maintenance tasks, but it shouldn’t be. Cleaning gutters can be very quick, and it can save home and business owners hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in potential damages. You don’t even need to hire Salem roofers to clean out your gutters if you feel comfortable getting up on your own roof– it can make for a fairly easy DIY project. Your home’s gutters are how moisture escapes your roof. Unfortunately, they can also act as a debris trap if you don’t have gutter guards. Over time, debris (leaves, branches, etc.) can accumulate in your gutters and block water from draining. This allows the water to back up onto your roof and wear it down faster, or crawl up underneath your shingles. Potentially just as bad, our Salem roofers have found wasp nests, small rodents, mold, and other potential hazards in our customers’ gutters before.
If you have many trees in your yard, you might need to clear out your gutters more often than twice a year, so keep that in mind.
Should you clean your own gutters or hire a Salem roofer to do it for you?
While home and business owners definitely can clean their own gutters, it can be uncomfortable or down right dangerous for some. There are over 164,000 emergency room treated ladder-related injuries per year in the U.S., according to the World Health Organization. If you don’t feel safe climbing up a ladder, be sure to call a Salem roofing contractor to clean your gutters for you. Rates are reasonable, and it’s always safer to have a professional working for you.
If you do want to try cleaning your own gutters, keep the following safety points in mind:
- Place the ladder’s feet on a flat, even surface.
- The ladder should extend three feet above the roof line.
- For every four feet the ladder is extended, it should be moved one foot back from the surface it’s resting against.
- Do not use a damaged ladder for any reason.
- Try to avoid resting your ladder on your gutters themselves.
- Have someone hold your ladder steady if possible.
- Wear gloves and be sure you can see into your gutter before reaching your hands into them. We have found unsafe things like syringes and wasp nests in our customers’ gutters before. Do not put yourself in this harm’s way.
Learn more ladder safety tips from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. or from the ladder safety experts at ElectroSaw HQ.
Remember, safety always comes first. If you don’t feel safe, or have the appropriate equipment to safely clean your gutters, call your professional Salem roofers to come clean your gutters for you. Rates are quite reasonable, and it takes the risk off your shoulders. Contact us today at (503) 585-2338 for a free roofing estimate today.
