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As a homeowner, having clogged gutters can be a recurring problem when maintaining your roof. It can be tedious to clean them each time, yet it’s still necessary to avoid water pooling and damage on your roof. While the best way to prevent clogs is to install gutter guards, it’s still important to understand what’s causing them in the first place. Gutter Helmet of Eastern Shore shares their insight:

Bird’s Nests

Birds tend to be attracted to your gutters as they use the accumulated debris to build their nests. Some may just get some debris and build their nest at a nearby branch, but others may stick around and build their home on your gutters! The best way to prevent them from building nests on your gutters is to have routine inspections and cleaning. You may also need to consider a gutter guard to further discourage them.

Leaves and Small Branches

These are some of the most common causes of gutter clogs. They come from overhanging branches of nearby trees that shed their leaves throughout the year. They shed more intensely during the fall season, which can be tiresome to clean if a lot falls on your roof. The leaves and small branches will make their way towards your gutters and gutters and cause clogs if they weren’t cleaned properly. 

Sludge

This is most recognizable as a slimy black mess of rotted material. You can sometimes find sludge clogged in your gutters as organic matter that’s made from broken down leaves and branches. It can sometimes even be made from animal carcasses that were unfortunate enough to get stuck inside your gutters. They’re great to have in a compost pile if you have one, but if they’re left stuck inside your gutters and downspouts, they won’t effectively direct the water runoff and start to pool on your roof’s edges.

Be sure to check out Gutter Helmet of Eastern Shore to learn more about our excellent installation and maintenance services for your gutters. Just call us at (866) 333-8150 or you can fill out our convenient online request form to get started. We serve our customers in Maryland, including Salisbury and the surrounding areas!