Why Gutter Cleaning is so Important, especially in Cape Town

Why is gutter cleaning so important?

Gutters catch the water that run off from your roof, channeling it away from the roof, the facia boards, the walls and the foundations. As this water runs off, and while storms rage and the wind blows, leaves and debris collect in the gutters.

This may not seem like a big problem, but not cleaning your gutters regularly can create a range of potential future problems. Blocked gutters mean that water is not being channeled away from the building, but rather builds up and continually flows and/or drips down the walls of the building.

Water running down building walls to the ground below can cause a great deal of damage, ranging from flooding to spoiled, peeling paint, rot and mold, and long-term deterioration. You might even find pests making nests in the debris.

Doing thorough gutter cleaning less than twice a year is an expensive exercise, leading to – for example – sagging gutters or damaged gutters, which will then have to be replaced sooner than its lifespan when regularly cleaned. Roof leaks, rotting fascia boards, and cracked walkways or patios can all result from gutters that are not regularly cleaned.

If your property’s guttering is not clean enough to drain the water from your roof in such a way as to prevent erosion of the ground below, you may also sooner than later face a situation in which the foundation of the property is absorbing water. This could create raising damp in the walls, the flooding of basements and other very expensive repairs in the future.

For all these reasons, it is very important to keep your gutters in tip top shape to protect your property and avoid high replacement and repair costs in the future.

Gutter cleaning in Cape Town

The Mother City – as Cape Town is also called – is certainly one of the most inspiring and exciting places in the world. Nestled at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain – one of the New7Wonders of Nature and a Unesco World Heritage Site – Cape Town is voted as the greatest city in the world by travelers year after year.

But the Cape is also known for its stormy weather and strong winds! These weather conditions are ideal for distributing leaves, twigs, small branches and random debris, which – over time – will clog up gutters. In areas in which stormy weather and strong winds are common, gutters will become clogged up sooner.

In Cape Town, our rainy season is in the winter. The months of June, July and August have a high chance of precipitation, with June being the wettest month. During most winter months in Cape Town, we have more than one hundred millimeters of precipitation.

While it is especially important to clean your gutters thoroughly before the rainy season, regular cleaning is recommended throughout the year, especially in Cape Town where strong winds and stormy weather are experienced often.

For the best protection against expensive water damage, a property’s gutters should be cleaned thoroughly at least twice a year.

How to clean gutters: DIY or call in the professionals?

Now that you know why it is so important to clean your gutters, especially with the weather in Cape Town, you need to decide whether you are going to DIY or call in the professionals.
If you are thinking of DIY, there are a few things to consider and a whole list of stuff you will need.

Before you decide to DIY, consider safety first. Do you have the right tools and equipment for the job? Do you have safety gear such as gloves, goggles and safety harnesses, as well as assistance from another fit and able-bodied person? Could this task be performed better and more safely by professionals?

If you decide to continue, you will need safety gear such as heavy-duty gloves, goggles and a safety harness, particularly if you are going to use power tools. You will also need a ladder and someone to hold it. We also recommend two buckets – one for your tools and one for the debris cleaned from the gutters. Some of the tools you may use include a garden hose to
flush out debris and test the flow of the drains from the gutters, a leaf blower and/or a power washer for difficult or tough jobs such a mold.

Be prepared for a physically demanding, potentially dangerous, messy and time-consuming task, especially if you don’t have the right equipment. Also remember to check the weather before you start, avoiding wet and windy conditions which could be dangerous.

When to call in the professionals to clean your gutters

Another – and often better – option is to enlist the services of our friendly, professional team to clean your gutters properly, affordably, quickly, and carefully and safely, so you can enjoy all the benefits of clean gutters without the risks and hassles of DIY.

Not cleaning your gutters regularly will soon necessitate replacing the gutters – which will end up costing you ten times more than even having them cleaned by a contractor. Cleaning your gutters regularly and thoroughly will ensure that the gutters get a far longer lifespan, thereby saving you a lot of money in the long run.

We would recommend that you call in the professionals if you have been putting it off cleaning your gutters for some time; if you are not accustomed to strenuous physical work; if you do not have all the required tools and safety equipment; when your gutters are higher than one storey; or if the gutters are in a poor state of repair.

Here’s why we believe our gutter cleaning services are your best option: we deliver clean gutters fast, with accountability, reliability and care. We also clean gutters properly – our teams have the right tools to do a great job. We clean gutters quickly – our experienced teams work fast and efficiently. We clean gutters carefully and safely – we have the right equipment and tools for the job. We clean gutters affordably – we keep our prices fair.

We also don’t simply clean your gutters, we also provide the care you can expect from professionals: preventative maintenance, making recommendations for any necessary repairs and providing advice regarding preventing potential future problems.

To make the final decision about whether to get in a professional and experienced gutter cleaning contractor, simply click here  or phone us on 021 940 7270 or send us a Quick Question via WhatsApp (bottom left) for free and friendly, no obligation assistance in making an informed decision.

When selecting a gutter cleaning contractor, also remember to check that they are correctly certified and to ask for references.

At One Gutters, we have 10 years of experience in the field of gutter cleaning and installing gutters in Cape Town. We will gladly assist you in making the right decision and benefiting from all the benefits that regular gutter cleaning delivers!