This always happens.
It is the Fourth of July and instead of relaxing by the lake or the pool you are stuck doing chores around the house. On this day, however, the chore that needs to be addressed in more above, rather than around the house. A freak rainstorm caused some flooding in your basement. The source of the problem, it turns out, was not really the rain but clogged gutters. In typical style your family seems to go from one emergency to the next, so today instead of starting the morning sleeping in you are up on a ladder trying to remedy the problem.
How Often Should I Clean My Gutters in the Summer?
The best answer, of course, is often enough that you do not find yourself in an emergency situation on a holiday off work. Gutter cleaning is never a fun task, but it is even less fun if you also have a water mess to clean up in the basement that is caused by clogged gutters. Like many home maintenance tasks, it is important to have a schedule that forces you to address even the hardest jobs before they become a problem. From the most expensive copper gutters to more typical seamless gutters that are installed on many houses, regular maintenance is advised.
Experts recommend that gutter cleaning should be done at least twice a year. In the event of extreme weather events, however, you might need to attack this task even more often. Fallen tree branches and leaves can become a problem and lead to major events if there are heavy rainfall. Did you know, for instance, that clogged gutters are the number one cause of basement water problems? Preventative maintenance is a great way to make sure that you do not face this problem.
How Often Should I Clean My Gutters in the Winter?
Ideally, you will never be up on a ladder cleaning gutters during the cold and icy months. In order to prevent this, however, it is important to make sure that you take care of regular maintenance tasks before the coldest of weather arrives. Checking and cleaning your gutters in the fall before the ice and snow starts should be enough to make sure that your gutters serve their purpose during the winter. By draining water off the roof and not causing ice jams, rain gutters play as essential role in keeping a house well maintained.