The Minneapolis area is one of the most beautiful places to live in the US. We enjoy (for the most part, anyway), four very distinct seasons. As we revel in the beauty, we who live here are aware of the weather and seasons.
We know about potential home damage caused by wind and extreme temperatures. Fewer people are aware that one of the most potentially damaging things to homes is clogged and dirty gutters. Fortunately, this danger is easily fixed and eliminated with regular gutter cleaning.

6 Big Reasons Why Gutter Cleaning is Important

You can often tell by looking at your gutters and around them that it’s time for a cleaning. They fill with leaves, sticks, and other debris that spreads over the sides, onto the roof, and onto the ground below. You want your home to look nice, and gutter gleaning is an important part of that. Beyond aesthetics, though, there are bigger reasons to clean your gutters.

• Minnesota has amazing wildlife and beautiful places for the wildlife to reside. Your gutters aren’t one of them. A clogged gutter is nesting (and breeding) ground for all sorts of rodents and insects. Keep them out by keeping your gutters clean.
• Clogged gutters can mean significant home damage. Filled gutters block the flow of water. When water can’t flow where it’s supposed to, it will seek out its own path. A Fox News Real Estate report points out that this path can be down the interior walls of your home and/or into ceilings where it will start to mold and rot the wood.
• Dirty gutters can also cause water to pour over the edge, cascading to the ground like a waterfall. There, water can pool around your home’s foundation and leak into the basement.
• Clean gutters are essential year-round. That water pooled around your foundation? When it freezes, it can expand and create cracks in the foundation. These cracks allow water to seep in when the snow and ice begin to melt.
• The charming-looking icicles that form and hang from the roofline in the winter form form because of clogged gutters. Many people enjoy the beauty of these icicles without realizing the structural damage they can cause. The ice expands and pushes against the house. Under enough pressure and expansion, damage is done and fun little paths are made for more water to leak inside.
• Cleaning gutters is necessary for the gutters themselves. The debris that builds up becomes heavy, especially when it’s wet. This weakens the gutters, putting them at risk to come crashing down onto things you don’t want them crashing onto.

Gutter Guards Make It Easier to Keep Gutters Clear and Safe

A simple way to prevent a massive buildup of leaves, debris, and animals in your gutter is to use gutter guards. Gutter guards are coverings that keep leaves and other objects out of the gutter but allow water to flow in and down as it should. Using gutter guards can reduce the time you need to spend maintaining your gutters will also minimizing the risk of damage to your home caused by clogged gutters.
There is a variety of gutter guards available. We use SlimGuard because we like the benefits it offers, the ease of installation, and the all-weather durability. Here in Minnesota, we need home products designed for all weather conditions!

Want Clean Gutters but Don’t Want to Do It? We Can Help You

Buying the right type of ladder (and storing it when not in use), climbing up to the roof, and plucking leaves and twigs out of your gutter may not sound like your definition of fun. Or perhaps it does sound fun, but you don’t feel like risking time and money spent in the ER from a fall. Or this year, you might simply not have time. Whatever your reason, we can get this job done for you.

Clean and Clear is a local company of dedicated professionals with the tools, knowledge, and experience to take care of the home you live in. Gutter cleaning is among the many services that we offer to keep you enjoying your home.

The Minnesota outdoors is great right where it belongs. It’s best kept in nature and out of our gutters, walls, ceilings, and basements. Proper gutter cleaning will keep you home a great place for you and your family to live and enjoy life in.