Gutters seem simple enough, but they are in fact pretty intricate.  They have many parts that all serve a specific purpose. If just one part of your gutter is faulty, your home is at risk of water damage.  While cleaning out your gutters gives you a chance to examine your gutters, if you don’t know exactly what to look for, you may miss some red flags.  If you are in Middlesex or Monmouth counties and need gutter cleaning services, give us a call today!

Every Part is Important

Each and every piece of your gutter is important to maintain the integrity of the entire system.  Just as a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link, a gutter system is only effective if the whole system remains intact. There are certain materials that can be used to make seamless gutters. These gutters are custom fitted right onto your home the day of installation. This type of gutter doesn’t have seams or sections which eliminates many weak points.  There is much less chance of having any leaking with limited amounts of joints and seams.

Each part of any gutter system serves a specific purpose.  Put all together, the goal of gutters is to collect, move, and eliminate water damage to your home. Neglecting the care and maintenance of your gutters puts your home and landscape at risk.  One small leak can set off a chain reaction that can ultimately result in major damage to your home such as cracks in your foundation.

End Cap

This is the part that closes off an end of any gutter trough in order to keep water in the gutter. In order to be effective, this portion is shaped exactly the same as your gutter and is made of the same material.

Connector

The item that joins each section of gutter together is very important.  Any rusting, denting, or damage done to these parts can cause immediate gutter failure.  It is important whenever performing gutter cleaning in South River to ensure that all the connections are damage free and fully intact.

Gutter Hanger / Bracket

These are very important as these are what keeps your gutter attached to your house.  If one of these breaks, your gutter could begin to pull away from your roof rendering your gutters useless.  Similarly, a downspout strap is what holds the downspout to the wall.

Drop Outlet / Gutter Drop

This portion of the gutter is where the trough connects to and meets the downspout.  This allows the water to remain contained in the gutter protecting your home and landscape.

Downspout

The vertical portion of the gutter system that effectively directs water away from your roof and to the ground. An important part of gutter cleaning in Monroe is to ensure that water flows freely through the downspout upon completion of the job.

Ledge Jumper

If your home has a ledge or portion that sticks out farther than other sections of your home, your gutter has a ledge jumper.  It allows the gutter to continue vertically over this pitch change without putting stress on the downspout.

Elbow

This item is used whenever the downspout needs to change direction.  One example of an elbow can be found at the bottom of the downspout to direct the flow of water away from your foundation instead of directly down in front of it.

Splash Block

This piece sits below the downspout and helps to eliminate damage to your landscape from erosion.  The water leaving the downspout can cause erosion because of splashing and flow depending on the force of the water.

Yearly Inspections Keep Your Gutters in Top Shape

Gutters and their maintenance often get overlooked by homeowners.  This can be dangerous as non-functional gutters can directly impact the security of your home. We understand that cleaning out your gutters can seem simple enough. However, to do it thoroughly and correctly, it does require a lot of attention.  It is not simply just removing clumps of leaves from your gutters.  Gutter cleaning in Middlesex County should include an inspection of each piece of your gutter.  If your gutters are in need of a cleaning as so many are this time of year, call us today to get on the schedule! 

Thanks for reading!  Come back next month for more in-depth information on just some of the services we provide!