Gutters are the first line of defense for keeping your home free from flooded basements or a cracked foundation. While they keep your home free and clear from water runoff, they’re also a breeding ground for unwanted critters like mosquitoes or wasps.
Clogged gutters can also play host to greenery such as weeds or tree seeds. Because of the importance gutters hold for keeping an overall home intact, what can be done to keep plants at bay and keep gutters clear? Let’s take a look at how to prevent plants from growing on a home’s rain gutter system.
Clean Those Downspouts
A clogged downspout can cause excessive water backup. This can lead to overflow during a heavy rainstorm, which provides the perfect environment for leaves or debris to collect and lie dormant. Dormant leaves tend to disintegrate, creating a mulch perfect for weeds and plants to take root in.
To that end, making sure the downspouts are clean and clear is an important step for keeping overall plants or weeds at bay.
Keep the Gutters Clear
Furthermore, the gutters themselves are a perfect place for seeds to germinate. It’s not just the downspout that can become clogged. When debris builds up in a clogged gutter, it creates a hospitable environment in which seeds can find a home and take root.
The clogged leaves and debris left in an uncared-for gutter create a sort of compost that is perfect for the development of weeds and plants. From there, little green shoots will begin to sprout in no time if gutters are not kept clean and clear.
Check the Gutter Slope
When looking at a gutter, it should generally have a slight downslope to it. This is so water can be moved away properly into the downspout.
If the slope of the gutter isn’t up to par, re-hanging the gutters might be the correct course of action to avoid water buildup and plant growth.
Utilize Gutter Guards
An often-overlooked form of preventing plants from sprouting up in a gutter system is to utilize what is known as a gutter guard.
Gutter guards serve as a barrier to keep leaves or debris from building up inside the gutter in the first place. Water can fall through and move through the system as usual, while the debris is blocked entirely. No leaves means no more plants that might spring up after a few too many weeks of stagnant debris.
Gutter guards are affordable and can be easily installed as a good solution for keeping those gutters clean and clear.
Ready for Seasonal Gutter Cleaning?
No matter how much or how little rain falls onto the roof of a home, weeds and plants are resilient. They can grow just about anywhere, including any gutter system.
Nothing beats a good gutter cleaning for keeping water flowing as it should but also for keeping plants from growing where they shouldn’t. By following the steps above, homeowners can keep their gutters clear from unwanted weed sprouts or invasive saplings.
