Cleaning Your Commercial Roof and Gutters In Fall

Performing periodic maintenance on your roofing is essential. This includes cleaning out the gutters. Autumn is a time of year that can be potentially dangerous for commercial rooftops, since all those leaves and other debris can cause minor and major damages. Today, we’re going to talk about how to clean commercial gutters properly and why it is an important step in keeping your roof’s condition ideal throughout fall. 

Fall is a beautiful season, but it can also cause an unsuspected nightmare. The moisture in the air can quickly take those dry, crunchy leaves and transform them into a soggy mess that sticks to the rooftop, congests gutters, and clogs downspouts. This not only increases the risk of water damage from flooding but also mold and mildew growth during the warmer months. If you do not remove the leaves and other debris from gutters quickly, you risk standing water that can become a strain on the structure. Overtime, too much standing water can damage single-ply membranes, reducing the overall life of your commercial roof. 

If you don’t properly clean your gutters, the water can pool around the roof and other places, getting into little crevices. Any additional weight from stagnant water turned to ice can cause expensive structural damages or even roof collapse. 

  • Best Ways To Clean Your Gutters

If you want to clean your own gutters in Fall, then you are going to need the right tools. Instead of trying to dig everything out with your bare hands while standing on a ladder, you need a leaf blower or pressure washer and a specialized vacuum. 

A leaf blower is easy to use and can blow out everything—from leaves to dirt and twigs. However, blowers can’t remove gunk from the inside of gutters and can be quite messy. Pressure washes are great at removing stuck-on leaves and grime, but they can be difficult to handle. That is where a vacuum gutter cleaner can help. The reversed airflow can help draw out any clogs in downspouts and eavestroughs. Unfortunately, vacuum gutter cleaners cost quite a bit of money, and many of the consumer models lack the suction required to get much work done. 

  • Inspection and Preventative Maintenance

Maintenance crews from professional roofing companies can make cleaning gutters a breeze. Not only are these people trained to seek out the leaves and other debris hiding in the gutters, drains, and scuppers, they can also find hidden damages that might cause problems down the line. Hiring a company to perform preventative maintenance is a guarantee against damage. 

In addition to disposing of the muck stuck in your gutters, professional roofers can inspect your roof to ensure it is prepared for wintry weather. The roofer will water test internal and external drains, check on strainers, bolts, and other places where damage can be hard to find. They will also check for sagging, loose or missing pieces, and much more. 

Lastly, you can count on professionals to have the best equipment. Unlike the consumer-grade pressure washes, leaf blowers, and vacuums, specialists with experience in commercial roof repairs have access to more powerful models that get the job done more quickly.

In conclusion, you should never overlook the importance of clean gutters. Cleaning out your gutters in autumn and ensuring the roof and gutters are undamaged is the key to a strong and long-lasting roof. Don’t go into winter without cleaning the downspouts and eavestroughs.