What is Gutter Care?

Introduction

In this post, we’ll dive into what it means to keep your gutters healthy, a few tips n’ tricks on how to keep them tidy and provide examples of gutter guards solutions that solve your gutter problems.

What is Gutter Care?

Gutter Care is the maintenance done to your eavestroughs, soffits, fascia, flashing and roof usually on a bi-monthly, -weekly, -annually, basis depending on the task and time of year. The state of your gutters affects you and your family’s life more than you would think.

Eavestroughs

Think of our eavestroughs as if they were the arteries of your house. Water needs to freely drain from the roof every time it rains or snows. Eavestroughs usually run the perimeter of our roofs that allows rain/snow to flow down safely.

Clogged gutters cause flooding in attics and if it does not flow away from the house it could cause foundation problems. The soil that meets against the foundation gets soft causing cracks from within that cannot be seen from the exterior. Repairs like these can cost thousands of dollars, that is if you catch it in time. The eavestroughs are visible from the ground and are attached to the fascia. Downspouts are attached at the corners to funnel the water away from the foundation. The eavestroughs are attached to the fascia of the roofline keeping the water away from exposed wood.

Fascia

The fascia board is mounted where the roof meets the outer walls of the house. Located under the rafter tails, the fascia adds a finished look to the exterior of your home. Having this in place keeps pests like bats, birds and small animals from getting into your home. One of the most common problems with the fascia is since they are made from wood, they tend to rot. Repair on the fascia can be upwards to $8,000 (the spot is complicated to get at).

Soffits

So, what is the difference between soffits and the fascia? Your soffits are the underbelly of your gutters. They are that decorative piece that hides the a/c vent system from the outside. Like Fascia’s they typically are made of wood, aluminum and vinyl but as well as fibre cement and steel. Aluminum & fibre cement has become one of the most popular materials used in the industry today. The aluminum lasts longer but they can rust & be expensive to replace (5G’s expensive).

Flashing

Okay, I know what you were thinking when I mentioned this before so no it’s not that. You can’t do that. When I say flashing, I’m talking about the shiny metal brackets that waterproof the seams of various things. Windows, chimneys, walls, vent pips, to make these more durable and to keep out mould from spreading inside if it were to happen.

The Role of the Roof

The roof is an important structural part of the gutter system. Over time old stains turn into algae, lichens & moss.

These organisms eat away at shingles by eating away at organic materials if shingles hold moisture for a long period growing into moss.

Why is Gutter Care Important?

Keeping our gutters and roofs clean is a key part of our family’s health – more than we realize. Keeping our system clean keep mould out of the air that we breath when we walk in and out every day. Bird feces, mould spores, and other bacteria could get through open spaces without anyone knowing and could create asthma or other raspatory issues. Diseases like histoplasmosis have been known to develop from lung infections. The Public Health Agency of Canada reports the histoplasmosis is the most common infection caused by fungi in North America but rarely gets reported.

Ontario has reported 7.5 cases of histoplasmosis each year. Protect your family by keeping your gutters clean & maintained.

# Tips and Reminders for Gutter Care

Check out these tips & tricks to make Gutter Care easier & convenient.

1. If you discover mildew or mould on your soffits, use a soft brush or broom and a bleach/water cleaning solution to help clean it.
2. Periodically check for bee, hornet or wasp nests. If you are not comfortable or unable to get up a ladder or if the nest was too big to handle, please call a professional.
3. If you are installing your vinyl fascia yourself, give yourself an extra inch or so, so you can overlap at the joints.
4. If you are unable to use a ladder, installing gutter guards can keep the number of times you need to clean to a minimum.
5. When measuring any replacement materials – measure twice cut once so you aren’t having to buy more.

Protect your family by keeping your gutter system clean and debris free.

If you are noticing you need a good gutter cleaning, fill out an estimate and our team will reach out to you about a free no-obligation quote that’s valid up to a year.