Gutter cleaning: All you need to know!

At Palmetto Pressure Clean, one of the services we provide is gutter cleaning.  Property owners often add this service on to a house/building wash when they have gutters that need to be cleaned out (we also clean the outside of them, but we'll save that topic for a future post.)  If you've ever wondered about why you need gutters, when they should be cleaned out or how you know when it is time to make the call to get them cleaned, keep reading.  Below are some of the most common questions we come across when talking to property owners.

Why do I need gutters?
Gutters carry rainwater from roof areas down the side of a structure and safely away from the foundation.  You don't want water near your foundation because it could leak inside the structure and potentially cause flooding or foundation problems. Any fascia boards or rafters can begin to rot from any repetitive dripping of water.  The sides of a structure will weather much faster from the excess water beating on the side.

How do I know if my gutters need to be cleaned?
Clogged gutters are useless gutters!  Clogs prevent rain water from traveling through gutter system and to the downspout exit.  Water will instead flow over the top of the gutter creating splashes of dirt onto your structure and trodden areas of ground.  Or the water will flow over the back of the gutter - creating a potential nightmare of water leaking into your structure.  Another indicator that your gutters may be clogged is a constant dripping or leaking of water from gutters even when there has been no recent rain. 

How do gutters get clogged?
If you have trees on or near your property, your gutters will fill with debris.  The heaviest gutter filling time is essentially the closing of the seasons of Spring and Fall:  April/May/June when you'll have a falling of seed pods and blossoms and October/November/December with the falling of leaves and pinestraw.  Nature's critters can also make homes out of your gutters (birds and squirrels) which will cause a clog.


When should I clean my gutters?
Twice a year is a good rule of thumb - at the close of Spring and close of Fall.  If you don't get your gutters cleaned out after Spring with the seed pods falling, you will have germinated seeds and eventually plants and trees growing out of your gutters!  And not getting your gutters cleaned out after Fall could lead to property damage with heavy snow or ice adding weight to clogged gutters.

Why should I hire Palmetto Pressure Clean to do the job?
First of all, if you are not accustomed to heights and ladders, hiring a knowledgeable and trusted exterior cleaning contractor to do the job for you far outweighs the risk of a fall for you or your staff.  At Palmetto Pressure Clean, we carry generous general liability insurance and Workman's Compensation so you are protected when we are working at your property.  Our team of trained exterior cleaning professionals is meticulous with their work in removing all debris from gutters, bagging all debris and removing all bags from your property.  A final flush of the gutter system is performed and all leaders and downspouts are checked thoroughly before we finish the job.  You'll find our staff to be courteous, knowledgeable, approachable and always uniformed and cleancut.  We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee and are members of the BBB (Better Business Bureau.)  If you are a member of Angie's List, you'll find reviews and reports from members who have used us recently and can learn of their positive experiences with our company.

You can learn more about Palmetto Pressure Clean and view many before and after pictures of gutter cleaning projects by visiting our website Palmetto Pressure Clean: Gutter Cleaning