In Greek mythology, the winter months occur during the time of year when Persephone, the goddess of spring, is forced into the Underworld with Hades. While she’s there, the earth becomes colder and less fertile. Leaves fall of the trees, temperatures drop, and water freezes. Whether you believe in Greek myths or not, when these events occur, your gutters can fill with dirt, leaves, and debris. This makes it difficult for water to flow down them properly once temperatures rise again. Luckily, the team at Sunshine Softwash & Windows are here to help keep you stay up to date on gutter maintenance.
What Are Gutters?
According to Merriam Websters Dictionary, a gutter is a trough along the eaves to catch and carry off rainwater; a low area (as the edge of a street) to carry off surface water (as to a sewer); and/or a trough or groove to catch and direct something.
When it comes to your home, gutters are important because they prevent water damage to your roof. Without gutters, water would build up and, eventually, cave in your roof or allow mildew to grow, causing sickness. The cold of winter makes it easy to lose track of your gutters. But, you need to keep them in check because it’s a disaster when they don’t work properly.
What Happens When Gutters Don’t Work Properly?
Aside from water damage and mildew, when gutters malfunction, potential issues—like cracks in the foundation of your home, basement flooding, erosion of soil around your house, damage to siding and fascia boards, and an increase in structural concerns due to excessive moisture build-up—can occur. Remember, water freezes in the winter and melts in the summer. If you’re gutters weren’t properly maintained all year, you’re inviting these issues to occur once winter ends.
According to the U.S. General Services Administration, if you have an older home, then gutter maintenance is even more important. They state that, “[g]utters on older structures…are often integrated with the roof structure such as built-in gutters, cornice gutters, hidden gutters, and Yankee gutters; and if not properly maintained can result in leaks into roof, cornice, or structure itself.” But, of course, you don’t have to try to maintain your gutters on your own. Sunshine Softwash & Windows is happy to help you figure it all out.
How Can Sunshine Softwash & Windows Help Me?
Sunshine Softwash & Windows will clean your gutters for you so they can free-flow year-round. Allowing us to maintain your gutters reduces the need for pricey gutter replacements down the road. Simultaneously, we will be protecting your home from an array of issues. And, while you could clean your gutters yourself, you would have to do research to determine what cleaning materials are best suited for your roof; which processes will help maintain your roof and which ones will destroy it; and, if there’s any damage to your gutter, how to repair it so your gutter works the way it’s meant to.
Instead of balancing these variables, it’s best to let a professional company help you out. You need to be spending your valuable time with your family and/or completing other important tasks! So, make sure you contact Sunshine SoftWash & Windows when it’s time to clean your gutters.
