Taking care of your home is important and that means keeping up with the maintenance as diligently as you can. When it comes to protecting the walls, siding, and foundation of your home there are many things you can do to keep them in good condition. One of those is maintaining your gutters in order to prevent water damage. By taking care of your gutters the right way, you can make them last longer and can put off having them replaced for many years. You can also keep things like mold, fungus, and the general breakdown of your home’s structural integrity at bay since you won’t have to worry about rainwater wreaking havoc on the house.

1. Inspect the Gutters for Problems

Gutter damage isn’t always obvious to the naked eye, and this is especially true if you don’t check your gutters regularly. Dents, holes, and other damages that could worsen over time can be checked for during inspections. Your gutters might also be rusting or corroding in places you can’t see or more out of the way on the house, and identifying the problem areas along your gutter lines and having the issues resolved quickly can keep the rusting or corroding from worsening and shortening the lifespan of your gutters.

You can try to perform gutter inspections yourself by getting up on a ladder so that you can look at your gutter system closely, but you should be careful not to rest your ladder up against the gutters themselves, as this could damage them. If you don’t want to inspect your gutters yourself, or feel unsafe doing so, roofing professionals, like Pelican Roofing, who also provide gutter services can be hired instead.

2. Clean the Gutters

You likely don’t think about your home’s gutters too often throughout the year and just assume that your system is still doing its job and directing the water to where it needs to go. However, this process can be interrupted if your gutters are clogged because they haven’t been cleaned in a long time. If heavy accumulations of moss, fallen leaves, and other debris from inside your gutters, the buildups could way down your gutter system and cause damage or possibly even cause your gutters to separate from your roof.

Gutter cleaning should generally be done twice a year in the spring and fall. The cleanings can usually be done by hand or with some cleaning tools that are safe for gutters. You can also hire professionals to do the work for you if you don’t want to get up on a ladder and do the manual work that’s necessary to clean your gutters.

3. Consider Replacing Your Gutters

If your gutters are made from inferior material, you can get new gutters that are made from a stronger, more dependable material that could last for much longer. After you’ve made the initial investment into getting your gutters replaced, you likely won’t have to worry about getting new gutters again for many years and may even have a gutter system that lasts for the rest of your life.

Copper is often considered to be the best material for gutters, and copper gutters can often have a lifespan of 50 years or more. Vinyl, aluminum, and galvanized steel can also last for decades, and one of these materials might be a better option for your home.

You should have a gutter system that can withstand the test of time as much as possible. You’ll likely have longer-lasting gutters if you remember to follow these important care tips.