You’re not misguided for wanting a landscape filled with beautiful, mature trees. After all, trees provide shade, block wind, reduce erosion, create a sense of peacefulness, and provide food and shelter for wildlife. But having too many trees around your house can negatively affect your roof and gutters, especially without proper maintenance. Here’s how to enjoy your beautiful trees while avoiding roof and gutter damage.
Trim Overhanging Branches
One of the biggest risks of having trees near your home is that a large branch could break off and land on your home, possibly bending the gutters, breaking windows, or even crashing through the roof. Minimize these possibilities by keeping your trees trimmed. Whenever possible, remove branches overhanging the roof. If a large shade tree is planted closer than 15 or 20 feet from the house, consider removing it before disaster strikes.
Watch Out for Sickly Trees
Sick, overgrown, and dead branches are more likely to fall in high winds or under heavy snow. Watch for signs that a particular limb, or an entire tree, isn’t doing well, such as off-colored leaves, no leaf growth at all, powdery white fungus, or a split trunk. Sick trees should be trimmed or removed to prevent a branch from falling and damaging your gutters or roof.
Clean Your Gutters Twice a Year
Every homeowner should clean the gutters at least occasionally, even if there are no trees within several hundred feet. If your home is surrounded by vegetation, you should clean your gutters at least twice a year. This includes once in the spring when the trees are done blooming and again in the autumn after all the leaves fall. Check your gutters frequently throughout the year and clean them any time leaves, pine needles, animal nests, sap, and other debris build up in the rain gutters.
Consider Gutter Covers
When you live in a place surrounded by trees, your gutter maintenance requirements can quickly get out of hand. Install gutter covers to greatly reduce how often you must clean the gutters. These systems filter out debris while still allowing water to flow freely, making them the perfect solution for your tree-filled property.
Upgrade to More Durable Gutters
The final way to prevent tree damage to your gutters is to install the most durable product available. Thicker-than-average aluminum gutters offer better protection against environmental factors, including high winds, large debris accumulation, and snow/ice damage. So the next time you upgrade your gutters, consider highly durable .032 aluminum gutters over the standard .027 thickness.
High Point Gutter is your source for reliable gutter cleaning, repair, and replacement in Snohomish and King Counties. We love what we do, and we’re proud of our work! We can address any tree-related damage and recommend durable, seamless aluminum gutters for your next upgrade. Rest assured that our gutter repair specialists receive hands-on training before performing fieldwork. To request a gutter service estimate, please call us at (425) 449-6622 or contact us online today.
