So what is gutter cleaning and why is it so important?

The more roofs I get up onto the more I learn about guttering systems and their many different shapes and forms. Every roof is different but one thing continues as a constant, debris inevitably ends up on your roof and in your gutter. I will go over a few of the things I find are most important when contemplating whether or not to clean your gutters.

The first big one that you might not be aware of is pests. Up on your roof those little gulleys that catch all the water, leaves, dirt in the air, bird droppings, well they make an ideal ecosystem for the likes of ants, mosquitos, birds, rodents (likes those possums in your roof), spiders and wasps to hang around in. The feed off each other and thrive waiting for summer to come down through your ceiling and eat your leftover food or suck on your blood! Did I mention cockroaches? Oh and the itsy bitsy spider went down the water spout, well I can say I've had a freight from more than a few! Cleaning your gutters can have a huge effect on your homes hygienic state, so do some spring cleaning and prepare for summer don't wait till its too late.

One obvious worry is fire danger. On dry days leaves fall off trees as the trees wilt in the sun, thirsty for water they shed their leaves to preserve what they have left. In Sydney Australia, these leaves are often from gum trees and contain oil that makes them very easy to burn and spread. As the gutters are near the supports of the roof, if the fire spreads in the gutter this can easily spread to the roof and take down your home in no time. Do yourself a favor, take out a forward defense policy on your home and clean your gutters so you are one step ahead of fire danger. Did you know the CSIRO approves gutter guard to be installed that is fire resistant!?

Gutter guards? well, you might say.. I already have gutter guards in place so that means I don't have to clean my gutter right? Wrong! This is a common misconception. The worst gutter I have come across have a gutter guard of some kind installed. Maintenance tends to go out the window because the gutter guard should be doing all the work. Well, unfortunately, this is not the case, the guard helps to keep the leaves out for some time but as they get trapped onto they break down into organic matter and build up. During a storm, the gutter guard will move and make gaps for the leaves to fall through. I have seen this on one too many occasions. The shadow the gutter guard casts onto the gutter aids in moisture sitting in the gutter and leads to mold growth which can spread. The mold is heavy and builds up over time blocking your downpipes and potentially causing your guttering to need repair.

So recommendations? Leave it to the professionals, get your gutters repaired twice a year in Autumn and Spring. If you don't want to risk damage to your home why risk damage to yourself? Professional gutter cleaners have safety equipment and the right insurances. Whats better a quality service will use a high powered gutter cleaning vacuum so you get no mess on your property! Why not experience it visit www.action-guttercleaning.com