How Much Should I Pay to have My Gutters Cleaned?
Ever thought if the firm you’re associated with is offering you a fair deal with their gutter cleaning services? Do you want to know about gutter cleaning prices? This easy-to-understand guide will facilitate you in informing your hunt for the most cost-efficient gutter cleaners.
Usually, gutter cleaning services clean your gutters of sticks, nests, insects, leaves, and other obstructions, bag the waste, neatly disposing of it. After cleaning, the whole system is flushed to guarantee that the downpipes and gutters are fully functional. In some markets, more services may be tracked onto the service. Don’t hesitate to inquire about your local genie if the technician will reseal end caps and outlets, tighten fasteners, inspect the gutter system, and otherwise repair problem areas.
The easy and quick breakdown of an average gutter cleaning cost will assist you in evaluating the value of the various pricing systems you will encounter on your search for affordable gutter cleaning. You might be in for a surprise because they are way more affordable than you think! Below is an estimate for the cost to clean gutters.
- A 1500 square-foot, single-story home with 150 linear feet of gutters will usually be priced somewhere in the range of $70-$200. This is the average cost to clean gutters.
- A 2000 square-foot, single-story home with 160 to 180 linear feet of gutters will usually be priced somewhere in the range of $90-$225.
- A 2500 square-foot, single-story home with 200 linear feet of gutters will usually be priced somewhere in the range of $100-$250.
So stop keying ‘gutter cleaning cost near me’ and start calling us. We’ll tell you how much it takes to clean gutters!
Are Gutter Guards Worth It?
Well, after determining how much does it cost to have gutters cleaned, it is time to answer whether they are, or gutter guards, in particular, are really worth it. Many experts agree that gutter guards don’t offer holistic protection against all the debris that can clog and litter gutters. You shouldn’t invest in a gutter guard thinking of never cleaning your downspouts again. They don’t make your gutters magically resistant or invincible to the debris of every season.
With that being said, gutter guards have been famous for reducing the frequency of gutter cleanings. If you install a gutter guard properly, you might be able to lessen the number of times you might have to clean your gutters.
Often, it’s a good idea to inspect your gutters, especially during the autumn season when the leaves fall. You might also want to ensure that in winter, ice and snow don’t clog your gutters. During the summer and spring, other problems may arise, based on the foliage that surrounds your house. If you know little about what type of gutter guard will work best with your house, consultation with a professional gutter cleaning company is highly recommended.
Do Gutters With Gutter Guards Need to be Cleaned?
To reduce the amount of debris that can create clogs and enter in your gutters, gutter guards are an effective invention. But, what happens in the case of regular gutter cleaning? Is cleaning gutter guards even possible?
Yes, there is little doubt over the fact that gutter guards will need cleaning, just as your gutter will. While guards are great, they can’t block everything entirely that normally goes into the gutters, particularly the smaller debris and dirt. Depending on the type of gutter guards your house has, you can get by with the usual twice-yearly routine, once in spring and again in the fall.
However, every gutter guard system will have different cleaning methods and cleaning needs. This is an important consideration before even installing the guards, and of utmost importance before you plan on cleaning them. Here are the main types of gutter guards and how can they be cleaned:
- Brush guards: When talking about maintenance, brush guards are the absolute worst, requiring regular cleaning.
- Mesh guards: These are easier to clean, and can mainly be lifted to uncover what is beneath them, giving it all a good cleaning.
- Gutter covers: Since covers are installed securely, they may be the most difficult type of gutter guards to clean. Therefore, it is a good idea to consult a professional gutter cleaning company if you have gutter covers.
- Foam guards: Similar to brush guards, foam gutter guards may accumulate a lot of mess over time, as debris and leaves get underneath the foam and around the edges.
What does Gutter Cleaning Include?
A service that cleans gutter should comprise cleaning out the debris and leaves that are bagging the waste, clogging your gutters, and therefore, flushing the entire system. Before appointing a crew, make sure that they include the removal of debris in their quote. Moreover, check with your crew to see if they will tighten or inspect your fasteners during the process. Some organizations will throw this extra in without charging an additional cost.
What Happens if You Never Clean Your Gutters?
If you never clean your gutters, you may face a lot of problems. Some of them include:
- Foundation damage: If water overflows from the gutters and the gutters are not cleaned, it may fall along the foundation of the building. This may lead to foundation cracks through, for instance, softening the soil under and around it. Moreover, the foundation is set and freezes, this will cause cracks and heaving. In extreme cases, water damage may cause the building to fail structurally.
- Rotten wood: In cases where gutters are clogged, water will be trapped in the gutter after rain and will overflow onto the building. This moisture will cause rot in soffit boards and wood fascia. The wood rot may spread to adjacent areas, for instance, the attic, offering an easy point of entry for rodents. Moreover, your gutters will start sagging due to the fasteners coming to lose from the weight of the soggy debris.
- Roof leaks: If gutters are not drained properly, ice may build up during the winter. This will keep the melted snow from draining off the roof properly. Usually, that water will migrate into the house resulting in moisture in the attic, wall leaks, and ceiling leaks.
- Insect infestation: The debris in gutters is a fascinating habitat to insects. These insects will be attracted to the inside of the house during weather changes, and so can lead to insect infestation within the home. Additionally, insects that eat woods, for instance, carpenter ants and termites are attracted to branches and rotting leaves that gather in gutters and so not cleaning gutters to an infestation of those damaging pests.
- Basement leaks: Similar to how a clogged gutter can damage the foundation of a building by enabling water to gather close to the base of the structure, this water may also infiltrate the walls of the basement. When water accumulates in substantial quantities against a basement wall, it becomes almost imminent that it may go in the direction of the basement. If water manages to leak into the basement, flooding, water damage, smells, and black mold may result.
- Landscape damage: The water falling from obstructed gutters can kill grass and plants living below. When those plants die, their roots stop contributing to holding the soil in place. Subsequently, the water will wash away exposed sand and topsoil. If left isolated for a lengthy period, this erosion may leave a ditch by etching away the landscape under the clogged gutter.
What Month Should You Clean Gutters?
Similar to the answers to many other questions, the answer is, ‘it depends.’ Numerous experts suggest cleaning gutters at least twice a year, once in the early fall/late summer and once in the late spring. But there are a few factors that may compel you to reconsider this choice.
If pine trees grow above your house, it is better to inspect your gutters once in every three months. This is because pine trees shed needles year-round. If you’re living at a higher elevation, ice may be your biggest concern.
Can Dirty Gutters Cause Roof Leaks?
Unclogged gutters will channel water through the gutter trough, away from home, and into the downspouts. During the occurrence of clogs, the water remains stagnant in the gutter trough, sitting against the roof. As time passes, this may cause the roof to rot, weakening its structural integrity, eventually allowing the water to seep into the interior of the home. If roof damage becomes severe, the whole roof may entail a replacement. Moreover, roof leaks may damage the interior of the home – not just the ceilings will be replaced but also the contents within the home that are damaged by water. Moreover, foundation damage and landscape erosion may be caused by clogged gutters as water flows over the sides of the gutters, instead of aware from home, into the downspouts.
