DIY Gutter Cleaning Tips Before Summer Rain Hits

Summer storms pack serious punch with heavy downpours that can dump inches of rain in just hours. When gutters get clogged with leaves, twigs, and other junk, all that water has nowhere to go except over the sides and down your foundation walls.

Why Clean Gutters Matter More Than You Think

Gutters are like a drainage system for your roof. When rain hits those shingles, it needs somewhere to flow besides straight down your walls. Clean gutters catch all that water and direct it through downspouts away from your house's foundation. Water damage prevention starts with this simple system working properly.

Clogged gutters create all sorts of nasty problems. Water backs up under shingles, causing roof rot and leaks. It spills over the sides, soaking the ground right next to your foundation. Over time, this extra moisture can crack concrete, flood basements, and even cause foundation settling that leads to expensive structural repairs.

A typical roof on a 2,000 square foot house collects about 1,240 gallons of water from just one inch of rainfall! That's enough water to fill up 20 bathtubs. Foundation protection methods all start with keeping water flowing where it should.