Gutter Cleaning: An Autumn Chore You Shouldn’t Neglect

As a real estate agent your job is to help homeowners sell their house for the best deal, or negotiate down for buyers. Educating homeowners on the importance of cleaning their gutters regularly can help them avoid costly repairs when they plan to sell or be able to point out the issues and drive the price down when buying. Experts like Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning have seen a simple gutter leak lead to $10,000+ of foundation repairs due to water damage. Whatever your clients are looking to do with their home, educating them on home maintenance will set both of you up for success.

A gutter system’s primary functions

Seems like an easy answer, right? They prevent rain that comes off the roof from falling on you as you fumble with your keys trying to get into the house faster. With only one inch of rain falling, a roof can have a water runoff of over 1,000 gallons! Clean gutters ensure that all of that water gets diverted to a safe location where it can’t damage a client’s house before a sale.

• Rain protection for people. Gutters catch rainwater coming off the edge of the roof, preventing it from drenching whoever is standing under the eaves. This is great when you’re fumbling around with your keys trying to open the door quickly to avoid getting wet.
• Prevent damage to walls. The roof catches the brunt of most rain. Without gutters however, water dripping off the roof can easily penetrate the facia boards or even drip onto the walls. If clients’ homes are older and have an ineffective waterproofing layer due to its age, there’s a good chance that the water may cause some damage to the walls. A functioning gutter system will catch that water and deposit it elsewhere.
• Prevent damage to the foundation. Moisture over time can weaken a home’s foundation, especially if water pools due to poor drainage. Gutter spouts deposit the water collected from around the house a safe distance away so it doesn’t have a chance to seep into the foundation concrete.

Why your clients should keep up with gutter cleaning

If your clients want to sell the house and get the best price possible, gutter cleaning is more important than ever. Depending on where they live, debris will inevitably find its way into their gutters and create conditions for blockages which create all sorts of problems. The points below can all be used to potentially drive down the price during negotiations.

• Blocked gutters will fill up and spill over the top, causing water to pour onto facia boards, walls, and potentially to pool next to the foundation.
• If a gutter is blocked, it will fill up with water in addition to the debris. The weight of the added water could cause the gutters themselves to warp, sag, and damage the facia boards.
• Damaged gutters may cause water to remain long after the rains have passed, which is a breeding ground for pests such as mosquitos and flies. In addition, weeds can take root in the debris and poke their leaves out over the edge of the gutters indicating damage to the buyers.

What happens if moisture consistently seeps into the roof or walls?

A big turn off for home buyers is coming across a mold patch due to moisture seeping into the house. The humid environment along with protection from the elements and warmth creates ideal conditions for mold to flourish. While mildew can also develop due to moisture, it’s usually only surface level. Signs of mold means that the spores have sunk deep into the infected area and may need a deep remediation to remove it. Naturally these conditions can also affect the price of the house in the negotiations.

While cleaning gutters won’t solve moisture issues from a leaking pipe, it’s a good first line of defense from allowing the outdoor elements from entering the house. Hiring professional gutter cleaners can help your sellers walk away with more money and your buyers moving into a house that’s been well maintained and safe to start the next chapter in their lives.