Get matched with top gutter cleaning pros in Fairway, KS

If you want to avoid burying your downspouts, several alternatives can help direct water away from your home's foundation. One option is to connect a rain barrel to your downspout. During a storm, the barrel collects water that you can later use for irrigating your lawn or garden. Another common solution is to install an above-ground downspout extension. This can be done in a couple of ways:

• Splash Guards: Placing a splash guard, available at most hardware stores, under your downspout can act as a simple funnel to direct water away from the house.

• Downspout Extensions: You can add an extension to the end of the downspout's elbow to carry water further into your yard. Some extensions are flexible, allowing you to maneuver them around landscaping.

These above-ground solutions are particularly useful if your home has a slab foundation that you cannot dig up. However, they have limitations. An extension may not move water as far from your home as an underground system. More importantly, if your yard slopes back toward your house, these methods will be ineffective, and burying your downspouts remains the best option to prevent potential flooding and water damage.

Frequently, when water flows over gutters, it indicates a potential clog, necessitating cleaning. For instance, if a twig becomes lodged in the downspout, it can lead to a traffic jam, causing more leaves and sticks to accumulate. Another potential issue is an incorrect pitch, as gutters should channel water toward the downspout. If you observe water overflowing the end cap or leaking through it, it suggests that your gutters are improperly tilted.

While you can clean your gutters without geting on a ladder, you won't know just how well you're cleaning them without the use of a telescopic water pole. Some ways to clean gutters from the ground include using telescopic cleaning tools and a leaf blower extension, wet/dry vacuum extension, pressure washer, or garden hose with a curved end.

Although having gutter guards and hoods dramatically reduces the number of times you will have to clean out your gutters, it doesn't necessarily mean that you won't ever have to clean your gutters. Experts recommend cleaning your gutters at least once every two years, even with gutter guards and hoods installed. If you don’t want to clean them yourself, you can hire a gutter cleaning company near you to complete the job.