Getting to the truth takes hard work. Here in the new age of the internet, information is easy to come by at the tip of your fingers, but it’s not always reliable. Bad advice, incomplete instructions, and just general false information proliferates online through any number of blogs and “news” sites. We’re here to help though! We thought we’d take some time and clear up the truth on some of the more common myths out there about your home gutters.

Myth #1: If I have gutter guards, I don’t need to clean my gutters

Listen, gutter guards are great! They can go along way to helping your gutters do their best work, and making sure that objects like twigs and leaves are prevented from flowing into your gutters, blocking the system and potentially causing damage. We sell several kinds of gutter guards for installation on your home for exactly this reason. However, gutter guards don’t mean you never have to clean your gutters again. They may help you keep the need for gutter cleaning to a minimum, but you absolutely should still get your gutters cleaned from time to time, preferably by a professional service. There’s a few reasons for this. First, the majority of gutter guards installed on homes are made of vinyl, which means they break down over time. Animals will often try to get through them as small seeds will still get through and sometimes get stuck in your gutter. Second, some debris can still get through most kinds of gutter guards. Pine needles in particular have a habit of slipping through lower cost gutter guards and can get caught in your gutter and still create clogging issues if left long enough. Finally, periodic gutter cleaning is also the best time to inspect your gutters and fascia for wear and damage, identifying potential issues before they become costly problems. 

Myth# 2: Gutter cleaning is easy

You might occasionally see someone “cleaning” gutters by blasting them with a cheap pressure washer they’ve picked up at a department store, expelling leaves and other debris in all directions. They do this in a few minutes and call the gutters “cleaned.” Unfortunately, this kind of slapdash approach not only doesn’t clean your gutters, but increases the risk of some kinds of gutter damage. It’s important when cleaning your gutters to carefully remove all of the debris, much of which will be soggy and may have some sharp bits mixed in. That’s why we remove debris by hand, wearing heavy duty work gloves that protect our hands but allow us to get every piece of debris without risking the kind of damage to your gutters that aimlessly blasting them with high pressure water might cause. Finally, it’s important to remember that even with a one story home, you’re still going to be using a ladder or some similar construction to reach your gutters. Any time you’re working with heights, there’s a safety risk involved, and the possibility of standing water from your gutters getting sloshed around make that risk even worse. It escalates further if you’re working with a second story home. 

Myth #3: Once a year is enough

Even with gutter guards, it’s important to inspect your gutters regularly. Leaving your gutters for one cleaning a year means you’re putting your home at risk by ignoring any potential issue for as much as 11 months at a time. We recommend twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. This ensures that any issue is caught sooner rather than later. What’s more, spring and fall are the two seasons that lead to the most debris for your gutter system, so you’re getting that much better of a chance to catch any potential issue. Getting this cleaning done by a professional team like ours means that not only are you getting the gutters cleaned, but you’re alerted any repair needs that might otherwise be missed. Leaking or blocked gutters can damage your fascia, walls, and roof and lead to costly long term repairs no one wants to have to deal with. 

We hope that clears the air for you on a couple points that might have left you taking unnecessary risks with your home. Getting correct information and good advice is one reason why working with the professional team here at Cincy Gutter Boys is such a pleasure for many Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky homeowners. If you want to schedule a professional gutter cleaning and inspection today, give us a call!