As a homeowner, what is your ideal afternoon like? We’re sure that cleaning the debris and gunk from your gutters is far from the answer. Still, gutter maintenance is an integral part of protecting your home from the elements, which means that it has to be done on a regular basis.
It’s impossible to make cleaning gutters sound appealing, but doing it will spare you thousands of dollars in repairs from water damage as opposed to gutter cleaning cost. However, there’s an easier and even more efficient way for you to get it done, which is hiring professional gutter cleaners.
Won’t that cost you?
Yes! But, professionals will do a thorough job, and you won’t have to do it, so it’s a win-win. In this post, we’ll look at top reasons to clean your gutters, gutter cleaning costs, and the factors that affect the costs and make it easy for you to make an informed decision.
Why Is It Important to Clean Your Gutters?
The main reason for gutter installation on the house is rainwater collection. They carry all the water down the downspouts and away from the foundation of the house, protecting it from water damage. If debris accumulates on the gutters, it clogs them and prevents the flow of water, causing an overflow.
Naturally, the overflowing water will head to your foundation, crawl spaces, and possibly the basement, too, if you have one.
One of the biggest risks of water in the house is mold, which has some dire effects on health. Clogged gutters also strain the fascia board of the roof, and if they get too heavy, they could fall and cause damages to your roof.
How Much Does Gutter Cleaning Cost?
Outsourcing this task to the professionals means your gutters and your roof are in the right hands.
The amount you have to pay will highly depend on several factors, but you could expect the average cost to clean gutters to be below $200. Single story homes go below that price range, while two-story homes go slightly above it.
What Factors Impact the Gutter Cleaning Cost?
The most significant cost of gutter cleaning has everything to do with labor. There might be additional materials costs if your gutters need some repairs as well.
Here are some of the things that will impact the average price to clean gutters.
1. The Length of Your Gutters
Most companies estimate gutter cleaning prices per foot or per meter, which is a major factor in determining the final cost. Professionals measure the length in linear meters, which is then multiplied by the number of stories.
Depending on the design of the house, the difficulty level of cleaning your gutters could add to the labor costs.
2. The Size of Your Home
Of course, the larger the house, the larger the roof, and the longer the gutters.
This also means more downspouts and more cleaning labor costs. Access to the site also plays a significant role in the gutter cleaning cost. If, for instance, the house is too close to other houses or it’s against a slope, the labor costs may hike.
3. The Roofing Type
Different roof types also impact the overall costs of cleaning the gutters. If your roof has gables, dormers, and different heights, it’ll impact the job. The pitch and height of the roof will play a role as well.
4. The Safety of the Job
Gutter cleaning, just like roofing, is a dangerous job, and safety is a significant factor. They may need additional equipment such as scaffolding or a bucket truck to reach your roof. This can easily increase the costs of cleaning gutters.
5. The Amount of Debris
The amount of debris in your gutters will also impact the costs of cleaning them because the more the debris, the higher the costs. If it’s been a long time since the last time you cleaned your gutters, chances are that the debris has accumulated and clogged the downspouts.
How Often Should Gutters Be Cleaned?
Professionals recommend cleaning gutters at least twice a year during fall and spring.
Still, it may depend on the trees around you and the climate in your area, you may need to do it several more times a year. It’s even more important in areas when the roof freezes during winter.
Why Hire Professionals?
Can’t you just clean the gutters yourself?
Essentially, you can, but cleaning out all that dirt and debris is not as easy as you may imagine it. Gutter cleaning is not a DIY job for several reasons. To start with, safety is a major concern when climbing up the house because it’s quite risky.
The taller your home is, the higher the risk of falling down and sustaining injuries. Professional cleaners are usually trained to do the job, and they have sufficient insurance to take care of any problems.
It Saves Time
This is almost certainly not going to be an easy project, and it’ll take time to complete successfully. Besides that, it’s bound to be messy, especially since you won’t have the right equipment to get it done.
Your Gutters Will Get the Best Care
Professional cleaners will do a lot more than just clean out the debris. They go beyond that and inspect the gutters for damages and give you a full report. They offer recommendations if any repairs are necessary and help maintain your gutters.
It’ll Save You Money
You may think that cleaning the gutters yourself is free, and hence you’d be saving money, but that’s not the case. You see, unlike professionals, you’ll need to purchase supplies, a two-storey ladder if you don’t have one, an extra-long garden hose, and trash bags to take out all that debris.
When you add up all these costs, you’ll find that it’s better to just hire a professional who already has everything. Beyond that, you’ll get to enjoy the convenience of having someone else do all the dirty work.
Call the Professionals Today!
Now that you know what to expect and the factors that impact gutter cleaning cost, you can call in professionals to get the job done. There are also many factors to consider when choosing a gutter cleaning company, so do your due diligence with that too.
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