Gutter Cleaning in Mansfield
and Gutter Guard Installation
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Do You Need a Professional Gutter Cleaner?
Central Ohio is filled with beautiful trees covering the landscape. Watching the leaves change colors in the fall is one of the benefits of living in the Mansfield area. But shortly after all those leaves change to oranges and reds and yellows, they drop off the trees and end up in our gutters.
Along with leaves, twigs and branches from trees can clog up gutters causing them to not function properly. When this happens, it’s important that you address the problem.
Many people choose to clean their gutters themselves. For those who are experienced, unafraid of heights, and in moderately good physical shape, this is something that can be done by the homeowner. For those who are older, inexperienced, or simply don’t want to get up on a tall ladder or roof, you should call a professional gutter cleaning expert.
Prestige Insulation & Drywall is the company to call. We specialize in gutter cleaning in Mansfield, along with insulation, drywall, and other home improvements.
Prestige is located right off of Lexington Avenue in Mansfield. This means we can get the job done right away, sometimes in the same day. We’re also insured, experienced, and honest with our pricing. We’ve been cleaning gutters in Mansfield and the surrounding area for decades. We know what we’re doing and we do it right.
Call or fill out the form below for a super fast quote!
Why Are Clean Gutters Important?
Living in Ohio, installing gutters on homes is a common practice. Pretty much every home you see will have them attached to roofs and garages. But in other places they aren’t as common.
In the southwest for example, gutters on homes are less common.
The biggest reason for this is the amount of precipitation we get in Mansfield and around Ohio. Whether it’s the frequent, sudden downpours, or snow melting on our roofs, our gutters in the Buckeye State get their use.
But are they really necessary? What does it really matter where the water comes down?
Here are the main reasons why gutters are important, and why they need to be clean and free of obstructions:
1. Clean Gutters Protect Your Home's Foundation
The next time you are around a home that doesn’t have gutters installed, take a look at the ground next to the home. If it’s not a new build, chances are you’ll be able to see a dip in the ground where the rain falls off the roof.
This constant bombardment from water hitting the ground can cause serious problems over time. The damage from that wall of water streaming off of your home can cause foundation damage from erosion. This can ultimately lead to the home shifting, which can cause all types of other problems inside like cracks in the walls.
The biggest issue with foundation damage is the cost to fix it. Foundation repair can run you thousands of dollars, and if it’s not repaired, can seriously reduce the value of your home. Clogged gutters that overflow are just as bad as no gutters, and can often be worse. Instead of water falling evenly off the side of your roof, it will pool up and fall more heavily around the obstructed area. This will multiply and speed up any foundation damage below.
2. Clogged Gutters Lead to Flooded Yards
If a home is built correctly, the irrigation system is designed to function a certain way. When water is diverted off of a roof and through a downspout, it flows into a specific location away from the home.
When this drainage system isn’t working properly, water that is supposed to flow away from the home ends up creating a pool in your yard. Aside from having a mini lake in your yard (which might be worth it if you could fish in it), there are some other negative aspects.
Water collecting in your yard will make it difficult for grass to survive. This will result in dusty patches of bare ground when it’s dry and big mud holes when it’s not. And it may be fun for children to play in and trample through, but nobody wants muddy footprints all over their home.
3. Proper Drainage Keeps Your Basement Dry
Another very serious side effect of clogged gutters and downspouts is basement flooding. Remember all that foundation erosion that we were talking about? Well, eventually that will cause cracking along your basement walls. Once that happens, every time it rains hard, water is going to get into your home.
The negative effects of allowing water into your basement are among the worst that can happen to a home. A wet basement can lead to mold problems. Not only is mold disgusting and difficult to remove, but black mold can cause some very serious health issues.
Another serious problem is basement flooding. Everyone from Ohio knows that we get some unrelenting rainstorms at times. Cracks in your basement can one day cause you to walk downstairs to a lake underneath your home. I’m sure you can imagine how this could hurt the home’s value.
The biggest problem with basement damage from not having clean gutters and downspouts is that it will only get worse. Once basement issues start happening, every storm will continue to do more damage. Keeping this from happening in the first place is the best possible solution.
4. Rotting Wood Along the Roof
Homes with no gutters are extremely susceptible to rotting along the edges of the roof. But what about just clogged drainage?
Anytime you need to have your gutters cleaned, that means there’s a portion that isn’t allowing free flowing water. Whenever there’s a storm, that blocked area is going to pool up and cause the water to run down the side of the roof. After a few rainy seasons, the underside of the ledge, including beams and shingles, can begin rotting and falling apart.
The affects of this type of damage can cause increasing problems structurally, as well as causing roof damage. It can really hurt the way your home looks though. As the rotting continues, it becomes a very noticeable eyesore on an otherwise beautiful home.
5. Mold, Mildew, and Discoloration of Your Home
This is another side effect of having a clog or blockage that causes water to run down the side of the home. It doesn’t take long for visible issues to appear.
Depending on the how the outside of your home is protected, the effects may differ. Brick will get mold that will change the shade. Light colored vinyl siding can get a darkened discoloration that really stands out. If you have wood siding, this will begin to rot away over time. Even James Hardie Fiber Cement Siding will start to show signs of discoloration from water constantly running down it in in the same area.
Mold and mildew discoloration is an issue that no one wants to have to deal with. At minimum, you would have to get it power washed, which can very easily cause even more damage. At worst, you will have a costly replacement of some or all of the siding on your home’s exterior. A much easier solution is a professional gutter cleaning twice per year, or spending a bit more on gutter guard protection.
6. Plant and Flower Beds, Shrubs and Bushes
Many homeowners spend thousands of dollars on plants and flowers to improve the beauty of their home. Not to mention, the hours and hours that go into maintaining them. If you ever question their dedication, see what happens when a late frost comes; every piece of plastic they can muster will be covering everything with leaves or petals.
Unclogged gutters and downspouts are vital to the health of any of these plants that reside near the home. Water pouring off the roof in the wrong places can easily flood the ground around the home. It won’t take too many rainstorms to overwhelm any plants and flowers, turning your hard work into a flooded desert.
7. Ice Dams on the Roof
While it’s a common misconception that ice dams are caused by leaves in the gutter, this is not the case.
It is however a direct result of poor attic insulation. A properly insulated attic should keep the roof cold by creating a barrier between the home and roof. If your attic is not properly insulated, the heat from your home melts the snow, which refreezes as it runs down the edge of the roof.
If this is something that you’ve noticed happening, please contact Prestige Insulation & Drywall right away, or fill out our quote request. We can come out and see where the problem lies.
A poorly insulated attic, especially one that can cause ice dams, is wasting money throughout the entire year. Even in the middle of summer, attic insulation and radiant barrier can save you a ton of money on air conditioning costs.
How Often Should You Clean Gutters in Mansfield?
In an area with a lot of trees, foliage, and weather, the general recommendation is for your to clean your gutters at least twice per year. While this is not always necessary, one cleaning in spring and one at the end of fall.
This is by no means set in stone.
The best way to tell when it’s time for a gutter cleaning in Mansfield is to simply keep an eye on how your gutters are performing. If downspouts are experiencing slow drainage, there is probably blockage somewhere. If there is an area where rainwater is pouring over the side of a gutter, this is caused by debris.
Another way to tell if you have clogged gutters is by heavy ice buildup. This is only possible when the weather is cold, but if there are areas around your gutters where there are ice-sickles hanging, then it’s very important to get this taken care of fast. When drainage systems get backed up in freezing temperatures, the water doesn’t just drain slowly. It freezes, turning to heavy ice, which puts a constant strain on the gutter that it’s in.
If you do notice an ice buildup like the one just described, please contact a professional. Prestige can resolve the issue quickly and economically. Even if you’re very experienced, climbing on slippery ladders or getting up on roofs that are possibly frozen can be extremely dangerous.
Contact Prestige today! We’re here to help!