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Now that fall is over and the trees have shed their leaves, you can start the last of your outdoor cleaning projects before winter. After the yard is raked, the leaves are bagged, and hauled away, it’s time to clean up one last mess that leaves leave behind: gutter cleaning for you Jacksonville, Florida home.

Gutters are an important part of maintaining your home, one that for the most part, goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. And when gutters become damaged, it affects the way your house looks, can become dangerous, and costs you money.

First of all, gutters control the flow of water off of the roof of your house. Instead of the water running everywhere, rain is collected and runs through the downspouts. This way, you aren’t as likely to have to get soaked on your way to the front door or worry about your plants being over-watered.

Secondly, gutters direct water away from your foundation. While water is important for your yard, it can have some devastating effects on your home, especially the foundation. When water seeps into tiny cracks in the concrete, it can cause upheavals and cracks which will then have to be repaired. Also, water that creeps into the crawlspaces under your home can cause mold and mildew problems.

Lastly, gutters and downspouts direct water away from concrete walkways and garage openings. In the winter, standing water can form patches of ice, and, in warmer weather, allow algae and mold to grow. Gutters also keep water away from your siding. Mildew will discolor your walkway and siding and can cause health problems for some people.

The gutters on your home are attached just under the roof slope to the fascia where the gutters have the best chance of catching the majority of the water flowing off the roof. This also means that debris such as leaves, dirt and twigs will be caught in the gutters. Over time, this debris will clog up the system and cause water to back up onto the fascia and in some instances the roof as well.

Gutters are made to shed water quickly so that little weight is on the fascia. As debris builds up, more weight applies pressure to the gutter attachments causing them to sag and sometimes pull away from the roof. On occasion this takes the fascia and soffit with it. Both of these issues can cause your costly repairs.

Luckily, keeping your gutters working properly is fairly simple, but many people find it a daunting task. Depending on what kind of trees you have near your home, you might want to set up the ladder late in the spring and then right before winter sets in to keep your gutters free of debris. Depending on the size of your house, this could take a few hours. Gutter cleaning professionals in Jacksonville, Florida can even schedule these tasks ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about remembering to call.

The cleaning technicians at First Coast Home Pros have professional experience cleaning gutters. In fact, they would be happy to come out and can advise you on a LEAF gutter protection system that could help you save time and money. This gutter cleaning system helps keep leaves and sticks from clogging up your gutter so you don’t have to go up there yourself.

First Coast Home Pros provides a variety of services for the residents of Jacksonville, Florida, including outdoor cleaning, carpet cleaning, and housekeeping services.