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Gutters Through The Seasons

What’s happening to Your Gutters?

​In plain sight yet often overlooked, your gutter system offers your home a line of defense. Yet without proper maintenance rust, blockages, and leaks can affect the integrity of your roof, walls, foundation and more. For these reasons, you need to take preventive measures to ensure that gutter maintenance is done year-round. At CNY Cleaning, we want to help you be prepared for any seasonal challenges that you might face. That’s why we’ve created this guide to give you an overview of how house gutters may be impacted in every season.
 
Fall

Watching the trees change colours may be beautiful but the leaves will cause headaches when they land in your gutters! To avoid potential clogs, it is a good idea to clean the gutters and the roof to prevent leaves from falling in. This will reduce pressure and help prevent extra water flow that can lead to rot and the discoloration of your property’s walls.
 
Most importantly, make sure to inspect your gutters before winter. Full and frozen gutters are heavy and can cause structural damage.
Winter 
Debris like pine needles, twigs and tree debris still find there way into gutters during the winter months. While winter is bound to put stress on your gutter system, there are ways to lessen the blow. Removing snow/ice and any twigs, pines, leaves or debris carried by the winds will help take the weight off your roof and gutters. 

Spring
With spring comes unpredictable weather patterns. If you’re in a location that experiences wet and heavy snowfall, check your gutter’s seams and joints to see if the fluctuations in temperature have changed or damaged their original form.
 
Once the weather stabilizes, you’ll find signs of new growth everywhere, including your gutters. Within weeks, pollen and seedlings can find their way into your gutters, filling and blocking them before summer has arrived. To maintain a gutter’s performance, we encourage you to clean them at least once before the season changes. 
Summer
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of summer is the heat. Just like you protect your own body, it is important to prepare your gutters for sun exposure. During warm months, materials such as aluminum can expand and suffer cracks. 
 
While not as common as in spring, summer storms can surprise you at any moment. Unlike those that come earlier in the year, summer rainstorms are considered to be more troublesome. With heavy rain flows putting strain on the mounting and fascia, your gutters may begin to sink. This paired with debris brought down by the wind can cause an overflow of water settling on the roof or running down your walls into the foundation. Without conducting proper gutter repairs, this can cause serious issues down the line.
Last Words
Your property’s gutter system shields your home from potential damage. However, to properly function, they require some help. Depending on your location, we recommend at least two cleanings a year. If you live in an area with lots of trees and strong weather patterns, additional maintenance may be required.
 
To arm your house for all seasons, please do not hesitate to contact us. To schedule an inspection and cleaning today, click here.