The cold fall and winter months are fast approaching, and it is time to anticipate your home’s exterior needs. When it comes to your water drainage system, you will need to figure out how to prevent wintry weather from damaging your setup. Here are some tips for how to keep your gutters from freezing.

Clear Out Debris

Debris is one of the top culprits for frozen gutters. If there are blockages along the route, water will not flow freely through your gutters and out your downspouts. These blockages allow water to pool, and if it is cold enough, form ice. So, before the first snow or frozen rain, clear out your gutters from fall foliage and other debris.

Shovel Your Roof

Keeping your gutters from freezing is no simple task and this preventative method is not for the faint of heart, but it is essential for those living in frigid and snow-laden regions. If you have a large amount of snow simply laying on your rooftop, try climbing up there and shoveling excess snow off. This will prevent any roof damage from the heavy snow and keep your gutters clear from overwhelming amounts of melting snow.

Check Your Gutter Slope

Though icicles are a beautiful part of the winter wonderland, they are a danger to anything underneath. With the right gust of wind, they will chip clean off and smash on the ground, hurting anyone or anything below. That is why you must check your gutter slope. Any excess water that does not flow down the gutters and downspouts will build and flow over the gutter sides, forming icicles. Before it becomes a problem, check your gutter slope to ensure proper exiting water flow. If you notice stagnant or slow-moving areas, make necessary repairs before winter weather sets in.

Consider Salting

When it snows or ices, you may salt your driveway and sidewalk, but you should consider salting your gutters as well. The additional sodium chloride will ensure any ice or snow that accumulates in your water drainage system will melt and properly evacuate. Salting is a simple and passive way to prevent ice dams and icicles—once you lay down the salt, you just wait for it to do its job.

Knowing how to keep your gutters from freezing keeps your drainage system safe and properly flowing all winter long. If you are looking for gutter repair or gutter installation in Silver Spring, MD, reach out to our professionals here at Gutter Maid today.

Your gutters are an integral part of your home’s exterior. When it comes to your gutters, siding, and roof, you want them to be clean, whole, and well-maintained. However, poorly attended gutters can drastically impact your home health. This is how bad gutters can affect your roof.

Water Seepage

Water seepage is a serious problem that can move from your gutters to other places. Water trapped in your gutters can leak through gaps in your house’s exterior. Depending on the pitch and shape of your roof, water may creep up from the gutters to the roof itself, causing leaks that could move into your ceilings. If you begin noticing water damage on your ceilings, consider inspecting your gutters in addition to your roof. You will want to stop the problem at its source.

Mold and Mildew

Stagnant water that will not drain properly can cause mold to grow. This growth can then spread to your roof and other areas of your home. If there are holes or openings to the interior, you might find yourself with a serious mold problem in your walls—this poses a health risk to you and everyone else living in your home. You must protect your house from unwanted fungal growth like mold, mildew, algae, and moss.

Structural Damage

Bad gutters can affect your roof at the most basic levels. Structural damage to the roof is common when gutters are overflowing or clogged. This buildup is especially common after heavy rainfall, snow accumulation, or ice storms. Because your roof is not meant to bear this extra weight, the strain pulls on the foundational soffits and fascia. If these parts of your roof begin to bend or break, you could face significant repairs.

Understanding how bad gutters can affect your roof makes gutter installation and cleanliness an important aspect of homeownership. If you are looking for gutter installation in Columbia, MD, reach out to our professionals at Gutter Maid today!

When it comes to the roof over your head, you want to know if it is well-built and sustainable. One of the things that contribute to roof longevity is the drainage system. So, what is a drip edge and why is it important?

What Is a Drip Edge?

A drip edge is a piece of roofing trim that supports overhanging shingles. This angled piece of flashing helps redirect collected water from the fascia—that long board at the end of your roof—and into your gutters. Drip edges come in all shapes, colors, and material types. Because each roof has a slightly different angle, shape, and fit, the drip edge needs to be able to secure tight corners from damage. Also, the color options help you find the best matching style for your roof and home.

Why Is It Important?

The drip edge is an important part of every home because it serves to protect your roof. It helps prevent wood damage by adding a layer of protection from the elements. The drip edge redirects water to the gutters where it is designed to go. Without the drip edge, water can pool and flow in undesirable places. Altogether, the drip edge helps your roof last longer and saves you money long-term.

Do You Need It To Be Checked?

When it comes to your roof, you probably think about repairing or caring for it sparingly, especially since new roofs need only be installed every handful of years. However, it is critical to be aware of the state of your roof. If you need your roof, gutters, or drip edges checked, consider contacting gutter installation companies like us here at Gutter Maid. By staying on top of all wear and tear, you can prevent serious damage from occurring.

Hopefully by asking the questions, “what is a drip edge and why is it important,” you are better prepared to care for your roof. Reach out to a member of our team today if you have any more questions about drip edges, gutters, or leaf protection.

If you had your gutters installed or replaced recently and are experiencing problems with water damage or water flow, it is likely that the hardware was not put in correctly. Though it is often an easy fix, some of the damage caused by bad gutters can be serious. Here are some of the signs that your gutters were poorly installed.

Improper Pitch

When your gutters are installed, they need to be set at a certain angle to allow water to flow toward the downspout and exit. If the pitching of the gutter is off, this can result in pooling and overflowing water.

Detached Gutters

Detached gutters hanging off your home can be dangerous. This not only means that the system is not working, but it also poses a potential hazard. If there is a strong wind or storm, the gutter could become completely detached from the roof and fall onto something or someone below.

Ineffective Downspout Placement

Downspouts are needed to get the water from the gutters to the ground. However, if these downspouts are not placed at the right locations, water can have a difficult time finding its way out. This also results in pooling water in your gutters.

Clogged Gutters

It is no secret that items such as foliage can clog your gutters at any time. However, if your gutters were installed without protection or guards from falling leaves, then they will quickly and frequently get stopped up.

Leakage Inside Your Home

A very serious consequence of badly installed gutters is leakage inside your house. If you see water damage where your walls meet your roof, you could have gutter issues instead of roof problems.

Though these are just a few of the signs that your gutters were poorly installed, if you are experiencing any of these issues, you need to get them fixed right away. Contact one of our professionals at Gutter Maid to inquire about our gutter installation service and repairs.

If you can clean your gutters yourself, why ever call a professional gutter cleaner? What is it that they do that makes professional gutter cleaning worth considering? How do professionals clean gutters?

Our gutter experts answer all your questions and will show you the best way to clean gutters like pro gutter cleaners. Read more below!

What does gutter cleaning include?

In general, gutter cleaning typically includes:

• Gutter inspection
• Debris and lead removal
• Gutter pressure washing
• Flushing

In addition, some gutter cleaners go a step further and also include:

• Small gutter repairs like tightening the gutters
• Roof inspection
• Before and after pictures
• No clog warranties

How to clean gutters like a professional

1. Get Professional Gutter Cleaning Tools

A professional gutter cleaner always has an arsenal of tools on hand to readily clean any debris, large or small. Typical pro gutter cleaners use a variety of tools including:

• Extension ladders
• Trowel
• Bucket
• Garden hose
• Gloves
• Safety goggles

In addition to enabling efficient work, all these tools protect pro gutter cleaners from debris as well as any potential pests.

2. Clean out Debris

Once the professional gutter cleaner is situated in a spot to efficiently clean your gutters, they’ll begin. Some pro gutter cleaners use the two-bucket method which involves one bucket for gathering debris and the other to hold tools. They hook these buckets to the ladder to keep balance.

Professional cleaners typically start with the downspout area and remove noticeable debris, like leaves, twigs, and more, and place it in the bucket. The trowel comes in handy to rake and gather smaller debris into removable piles. Latex gloves are also important to carry wet or damp debris.

3. Flush Out Gutters and Downspouts

Finally, the last step in how professionals clean gutters are flushing out the gutters and downspouts. After the professionals remove all or most of the noticeable debris, they use the hose to flush out the gutters and downspouts.

This method removes dirt and grime that might be harder to remove by hand. This also allows the cleaners to spot any blocks if the water doesn’t drain properly. If requested, after everything is finished, the professional gutter cleaner can install gutter guards to protect them from future debris.

Here at Gutter Maid, we ensure premium gutter cleaning in Frederick, MD, at a reasonable price point. Our team of professional gutter cleaners delivers 100% satisfaction with worry-free scheduling and prompt service. Don’t believe us? Read our outstanding reviews on Angie’s List, Google, and Yelp.

Give us a call to schedule your gutter cleaning or installation at your townhome, apartment, or single-family home.

Gutters may not be the most visually noticeable part of your house compared to your front door or stone veneer, but they are one of the most important components of your home. Your gutters divert rainwater away from the roof and foundation to the ground and further away from your house. Eventually, your gutters may sag, rust, or break, so it’s important to replace them. However, check out this guide on preparing for gutter installation services before doing so. There are some important steps every homeowner must take before tackling this project or calling a professional.

Do the Research

Before any gutter installation services occur, always do the necessary research. For starters, know the different types of gutters and gutter materials best for your house. An aluminum k-style is the most common for residences because it’s inexpensive and durable, but there are others too. Half-round and custom-built fascia gutters are two other types of gutters. Not to mention, wood, vinyl, steel, copper, and stainless-steel are other available materials, too. Regardless of which type and material you pick, do the research and then compare every advantage and disadvantage before finalizing your decision.

Consider Drainage

Your gutters and downspouts serve one main function on your house: to collect and emit rainwater away from your roof and foundation. Therefore, it’s crucial your new gutters effectively do this. Otherwise, you risk flooding your basement or yard. After removing the old gutters, check for water damage around the soffits and fascia. Mold, mildew, and rotting wood are all clear indicators of water damage in your home. This happens if your gutters don’t match your roof’s pitch, as the water can then pool and lead to moisture in your house. Once you identify all potential drainage issues, install the new gutters.

Leave it To the Experts

If you’re uncomfortable with any gutter installation service preparations, call an expert. Like a plumber or electrician, gutter installers have the skills, knowledge, and equipment to properly install, clean, and protect your new gutters. While taking all precautionary steps on your own can help, leave it to the professionals to handle the nitty-gritty work. Hard to reach places and finer details can save your house from water and structural damage that a DIYer might cause.

On that note, we at Gutter Maid are a skilled gutter installation team ready for any gutter-related project. We provide gutter installation in Bowie, Maryland with the best pricing and lifetime warranty. Whether it’s for residential or commercial fabricated gutters, we use the best materials that ensure longevity and lifetime satisfaction. Call now for a free estimate or see our amazing reviews on Angie’s List.