Maintaining clean gutters is the cheapest and most effective form of preventative maintenance. Overflowing gutters can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage in a very short period. The best steps to follow when cleaning gutters are:

• Blow all sticks and leaves off the roof.
• Clear all debris out of the gutters.
• Check downspouts for blockages and clear.
• Pick up any dropped debris and move to a natural area.
• Blow or wash off any surface where debris made a mess.

DIV Cleaning Service completes thousands of gutter cleanings jobs each year. It’s just as important to get all debris off the roof as it is to clean out the gutters. This is something we include with every service. The same goes for clearing blockages from downspouts. We use specific tools and methods to clear blockages without taking apart downspouts.

Most homes need gutters cleaning twice a year. We recommend once in the fall and then again in the spring. Trees will drop their leaves in the fall and a lot of pollen and seeds in the spring. Additional cleanings may be necessary to maintain clear gutters if your home has pine trees dropping straw year-round.

Signs that your gutters need to be cleaned:

• Water overflowing during rainstorms
• Debris visibly piled up in the gutters
• Leaves and debris accumulating on your roof
• Standing water in your gutters
• Water dripping from gutter seams or downspout after the rain has stopped.

Gutters are not designed to hold a lot of weight. Too much debris and water in your gutters will pull your gutters out of alignment and lead to wood rot.

Yes, you will still need gutter cleaning and roof maintenance. No gutter guard will prevent debris from gathering on your roof and sometimes it becomes worse. There are homes where gutter guards are effective at keeping debris out of the gutters, but in most cases, debris still gets under the guards or piles on top.

The primary concern is water damage. When debris is left to pile up on top of the guards it forms a “debris dam.” Then water becomes trapped in the debris. It will rush back into the roofline instead of flowing into the gutters. This will lead to water-damaged shingles, roof sheeting, fascia board, soffit, and siding. Regular gutter/roof cleaning will help