Depending on where you live, you need to clean out your gutters at different times. For instance, if you live somewhere that’s hot and dry, the chances are that you won’t need to clean your gutters as often as someone who lives somewhere with lots of trees in rain. If you live in Charlotte, NC, you may not know how often you should clean out your gutters, compared to somewhere else.

Here’s what you need to know about how often you should clean out your gutters in Charlotte, the signs that you should watch out for that indicate they’re due for a cleaning, and whether you should DIY the job or hire a professional. Let’s jump into it!

How Often Should You Clean Out Your Gutters In Charlotte?

It’s typically advised that you clean out your gutters at least twice a year, regardless of where you live, once in the spring and once in the fall. This applies to Charlotte, too. Bear in mind that depending on how many trees that you have in your yard, the types of trees that you have, and whether or not you use gutter guards could make you need to clean your gutters more frequently. 

For instance, if you have pine trees, these shed their needles and pine cones quite often. People with pine trees close to their homes often find that they need to clean their gutters more than twice a year, and more like every 3 months or so. 

When Should You Clean Your Gutters?

Here in Charlotte, you should schedule your gutter cleaning for November or December in the fall. This is no surprise – due to falling leaves, it’s no secret that your gutters can get clogged and fast in autumn. We say November and December are good months for a gutter cleaning because of how different trees will shed their leaves at different times. 

Smaller/younger trees will drop their leaves earlier (Novemberish) and older/larger trees will drop them later in the season (Decemberish). In order to prevent fall leaves from clogging your gutters and forming a nice, cozy home for pests, it’s important that you have them cleaned away.

Fruiting trees tend to drop their fruit in the springtime and will require your gutters to be cleaned too. Again, that fruit is a delectable treat that lures pests to your gutters. It also forms rotting blockades in your gutters that keep them from functioning properly. 

So, in short, you should clean out your gutters in the spring and in the fall – at a minimum. Depending on the types of trees you have and what your home is exposed to, it’s possible that you could need more frequent gutter cleaning than this. Keep an eye on your gutters and watch out for signs that they’re due for a cleaning, so that you can keep them in good condition. 

How Can You Tell If Your Gutters Need To Be Cleaned?

Usually, it’s pretty easy to tell if you need to clean your gutters. However, if you’re a new homeowner, you may not know what to look out for just yet.

Here are some of the signs that your gutters need to be cleaned:

• They’re overflowing.
• Water doesn’t flow readily.
• You see debris building up in them.
• There are leaks around your home.
• Your gutters are pulling away from your house.

Bear in mind that sometimes, your gutters will need to be repaired or replaced, even if you ensure that you clean them regularly. For instance, if your gutters are sagging, cracking, or there continues to be water, mold, or paint damage after cleaning them, these are all indicators that your gutters could need repairs or replacement.

Should You DIY Gutter Cleaning Or Hire A Professional?

How comfortable are you on a ladder?

Gutter cleaning is definitely something that you can DIY if you don’t mind being on a ladder and some tedious, but relatively easy work. However, not everyone is comfortable with that. Gutter cleaning can be quite dangerous if you’re not careful. Also, you may not have the time to spare for a job like this, or you may want to ensure that the job’s done right. 

If that’s so, you can definitely hire a professional to do the job for you. True Clean Power Wash & Seal provides professional gutter cleaning services. We’re committed to customer satisfaction and detail-oriented work. With regular gutter cleaning, you can save money, prevent damage to your home, deter pests, and increase your curb appeal. To learn more about our gutter cleaning services, please do not hesitate to contact us today! 

Solar panels are an excellent way to save money on your energy bills and to help protect the environment. However, if you don’t clean your solar panels, you may end up seeing your energy bills start to spike. Additionally, dirty solar panels can greatly impact the curb appeal of your home, making it seem uncared for, even if you put a lot of time and effort into maintaining your house. Thus, solar panel cleaning is essential, both for maintaining their efficacy and your home’s curb appeal.

How often you’ll need to clean your solar panels can vary depending on a number of factors. Here is what you need to know about why you should clean your solar panels and how often you can estimate to have this service done. Let’s dive into it!

Why Should You Clean Your Solar Panels?

There’s quite a bit of debate about whether or not you even need to clean your solar panels. We covered this in our previous blog: Is Solar Panel Cleaning Worth It? We’ll touch on some of the reasons why you should clean your solar panels here as well, for your convenience.

Many people assume that rain is enough to clean your solar panels. While rain can clean away some dust buildup, it can’t do much for bird poop or extensive buildup of debris. Plus, think about what happens to your car when you leave it out in the rain: it gets covered in all these little spots because of the dirty film that rainwater leaves behind. Thus, solar panel cleaning is needed in order to keep your solar panels clean, clear, and in optimal working order.

How Often Should You Clean Your Solar Panels?

The truth is that it depends. In general, it’s recommended that you have your solar panels cleaned once or twice a year. This can vary depending on your environment. For instance, if you live somewhere that doesn’t get much rain, you’ll likely need to schedule more frequent solar panel cleanings because more dirt and debris can build up on your solar panels.

Some of the factors that impact how often you need to clean your solar panels include:

• If you live in a desert climate, the amount of dust and sand that your solar panels are exposed to is more than in other areas. This can increase your need for more frequent solar panel cleaning.
• If you live in a heavily wooded area, you will also likely need to schedule more frequent solar panel cleaning because of the debris that can build up on your solar panels.
• If you live in a heavily populated area or near a freeway or a highway, you will need more frequent solar panel cleaning because of the higher amounts of pollution in the air that can build up on your solar panels. 
• If you live in a relatively clean area that experiences quite a bit of rainfall, you likely will not need to schedule your solar panel cleanings as frequently as those who live in other areas, such as those mentioned above.

Should You Clean Your Solar Panels Yourself?

No. Many people assume that solar panel cleaning is easy and want to save money by attempting to DIY their solar panel cleaning. There are a number of reasons why this job is best left to the professionals.

• Safety. It’s dangerous to try to clean your solar panels. Without the proper training and equipment, you could end up seriously injured. It’s not worth the risk to your health and safety to try to cut costs by DIYing a project like this.
• The potential for damage. Solar panels are delicate. You could accidentally scratch and damage them if you try to clean them yourself. Plus, you could end up covering them in streaks, which would impact their efficiency. 
• Your warranty. In some cases, you could end up voiding your warranty if you try to clean your solar panels yourself. Some solar panel manufacturers require that the job is done by professionals.

Professional solar panel cleaners have the equipment, training, and expertise needed in order to ensure that your solar panels are left sparkling clean without damages or streaks.

Do You Need Solar Panel Cleaning?

If your solar panels are looking grimey and your energy bills are starting to go up, it could be time to clean your solar panels. True Clean Power Wash & Seal provides professional solar panel cleaning services throughout the Charlotte area. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a cleaning appointment for your home or business.