The Best Home Gardening Practices to Prevent Gutter Clogs

Fall is here, and that means it’s time for gutter cleaning! It’s important to clean your gutters before they become clogged with debris, or worse, they may cause water damage to your home. Keeping your gutters clear and free of twigs, leaves, seeds, and pine needles can help you avoid expensive clogged gutters later on.

Before you start, make sure your gutters are cleaned out. This includes removing any sagging or damaged sections and checking for leaks and loose hardware. You could also hire a professional gutter cleaning service like Gutter Cleaning Lansing MI to do some inspection and safe cleaning. 

Gutters that are clogged will overflow and run over the ground, damaging landscape beds that sit underneath them. This can be particularly dangerous for plants like hydrangea, viburnum, rhododendrons, and Japanese maple which require well-drained soil to thrive.

Remove Trees Close to Your Roof

The most common cause of a clogged gutter is the trees and bushes that grow right next to your roof. The resulting branches and foliage can quickly clog your gutters, especially when the wind picks up. You can easily cut back any overhanging limbs or branches that might catch and snag on the gutters.

Be sure to prune these bushes and trees at least a few feet away from your house, if possible, advises a landscaper. This will help prevent overhanging limbs from causing your gutters to clog, and will also keep your roof from getting damaged.

A clogged gutter will also allow water to pool around the base of your home, which can cause a number of serious problems. Rainwater can leak into your walls, foundation, or into the ceiling, which could lead to a host of expensive repairs.

To protect your family, you should also wear protective gloves when working on your gutters. The type of gloves you choose will depend on your personal preference, but a cotton is a good option for protecting hands from bacteria-containing dirt and debris.

Alternatively, leather and rubber gloves tend to tear when they come into contact with sharp sections of gutters. Be sure to always wear eye protection when working on your gutters.

Ladder Safety

If you’re going to climb up a ladder to clean your gutters, be sure to use one that has a shelf that is strong enough to hold a bucket full of debris. This can help you keep your balance and reduce the risk of falling or hurting yourself while up on a ladder.

You should also use a sturdy ladder that is easy to grip and doesn’t move while you’re up on it. This is crucial because you’ll be standing on the edge of a very tall ladder while you’re cleaning your gutters, so you’ll need to be aware of what you’re doing and be careful not to slip.