Spring Maintenance: Clean it up | PEMCO

When it comes to your home’s gutters, downspouts, and roof, tidying up does more than just boost curb appeal. That clean look you love also supports your love of prevention!  

How so? Dirty, clogged gutters are the second-leading cause of water damage for homeowners, topped only by clogged plumbing fixtures, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Throw in a few trees shedding their needles (or moss sprouting) on your roof, plus some downspouts emptying next to your home’s foundation, and you may have a top-to-bottom recipe for flooding, erosion, and rot damage. 

A spring-clean maintenance routine can prevent those problems and extend the life of your roof and foundation.  And at PEMCO, we think proactive prevention is one of the keys to unlock peace of mind.

Clean gutters to help prevent water damage 

Clogged gutters can overflow during spring storms, flooding your crawlspace, damaging siding and fascia boards, eroding planting areas, and even impacting your foundation or wicking in around doors. 

Twice a year – spring and fall – clear debris out of your gutters. We recommend hiring professional gutter cleaners because of the safety risks of climbing ladders. However, if you prefer to clean the gutters yourself, follow these tips: 
 

1. Don’t lean your ladder against gutters or downspouts. Keep your body inside the ladder’s rails with one hand always on the ladder. Never hold a gutter or downspout for support and, to avoid slipping, don’t clean gutters in the rain. 

2. Scoop out debris rather than using a leaf blower. Leaf blowers are unwieldy and can throw you off balance atop the ladder. 
    

3. If you use a hose to clean gutters, stuff a cloth in the top of downspouts to prevent debris from washing down and clogging them. Remove the cloth when you’re finished and watch to make sure the water drains. 

 Aim downspouts away from your home  

Downspouts play a critical role in protecting your home from water damage by ensuring that rainwater is channeled away from your foundation or, if you have a basement, by helping to prevent flooding. Here’s how to keep things flowing smoothly: 

• Remove blockages from downspout drainpipes. Tree roots and gutter debris can block underground pipes that carry water from your home’s downspouts into storm drains on your street. If your gutters overflow during heavy rain even though they’re clean, enlist help from a rooter service. Using a pipe-scoping camera, they can discover blockages and use water jets or cutting tools to get the water moving again.
• Direct downspouts away from your foundation. If your downspouts don’t tie directly into drains and, instead, empty on the ground, make sure they’re pointed away from your foundation. Add downspout extenders so they empty into the yard, far from your basement or crawlspace. Another option: Connect your downspouts to rain barrels to collect water for your garden. 

Trim overhanging tree branches and control moss on your roof   

Trees and roofs don’t always get along. Not only can a heavy branch seriously damage your roof if it falls during a windstorm, but a buildup of fallen leaves and needles makes it hard for your roof to dry out fully, contributing to rot in wooden shakes.

Moss is no friend, either. Like tree debris, moss holds rot-causing moisture. When growing on asphalt shingles, moss can cause shingles to lift (allowing water to seep in) and shed their UV- and fire-protective granules. Moss is also a fire hazard when it dries out, providing tinder for sparks from a chimney or errant fireworks. 

Here's how to deal with both:  

• Remove overhanging branches that encroach on your roof, and keep trees pruned to encourage strong, healthy growth. If the tree belongs to your neighbor, talk with them about your concerns and ask permission to remove specific branches. You don’t want snip first and ask later, since you could risk a lawsuit if you go overboard or prune in a way that damages the health or aesthetics of the tree. Ideally, your neighbors will agree to trim the tree themselves.  
• Consider professional moss removal. If moss is thick or widespread, roof maintenance professionals may recommend a commercial treatment, formulated to be gentle on roofs. Or, they may suggest a “soft wash” with low-pressure water and a biodegradable cleaning solution. Traditional pressure washing, which was popular years ago, has been shown to damage roofs if the pressure is too high. In addition, if your roof is nearing the end of its useful life or you’re concerned it may be prone to leaking, it’s best to choose a waterless method of moss removal. 

Another reason to choose a pro? They have the equipment and expertise needed to stay safe on roofs.  

• Try DIY moss removal if you feel safe working on your roof. If moss is thoroughly dry and not too thick, you may be able to remove most of it with a broom, making sure you always sweep toward the gutters to avoid lifting the shingles. Don’t walk on fragile cupped or curled shingles, which could break and require replacement.  
• Once you’ve removed all the moss you can, consider applying a homeowner-friendly moss treatment and preventer. Be sure to follow manufacturers’ instructions for wearing protective gear and safeguarding the plants below. Beware of moss-busting home remedies like laundry soap (degreasers attack and break down your roof’s water-shedding capabilities) and zinc or copper strips that can cause leaks during installation. Some members have reported success with sprinkling harmless, budget-friendly baking soda on their roofs to discourage moss. 

We’re all in on prevention because we’re all in on you    

Prevention gives you peace of mind so you can focus on the things and people in life that matter most. We’re proud to partner with you when it comes to "preventing the preventable" at home and on the road. Keep an eye on the PEMCO Blog, which we update often with even more prevention tips and resources this spring and all year long.