Fall will be here before you know it, and with fall comes the inevitability of leaves falling and clogging up your gutters. Before winter arrives, it’s time to check the gutters and downspouts before the wet, snowy weather arrives.
Here are a few tips on how to clean your gutters effectively and safely.
Ladder Safety
Before you go up on the ladder to clean your gutters, make sure you tell a family member or friend that you’re going to be working on the gutters so they’ll know in case of an emergency. Also, make sure your ladder is sturdy and capable of holding your weight as well as the weight of a five-gallon bucket that you’ll use for debris.
Tools of the Trade
To thoroughly clean your gutters, you’ll need several tools, one is a gutter scoop, which can be found at most hardware and home improvement stores. Also, equipped your garden hose with a spray nozzle that has an adjustable water pressure gauge; this is perfect for flushing out stubborn clogs and making sure your gutters and downspouts are free-flowing. The gutter scoop is perfect for clearing out dead leaves, branches, and animal droppings that have collected in your gutters.
Protect Your Hands
Working around metal gutters can be dangerous because there’s a chance you can get cut from a jagged edge or a sharp branch. Do yourself a favor and invest in a good pair of work gloves made of thick suede material.
Protect Your Eyes
When using high-pressure water to flush out your gutters and downspouts, there’s a good chance that water and other bits of debris will ricochet back into your face. Bees and wasps like to make their homes in gutters and downspouts, too, which is why it’s essential that you protect your eyes when squirting high-pressure water.
Mind the Electric Lines
Before you go up the ladder to clean your gutters, check for power lines. Also, scan for cables that deliver your TV or internet and make sure you’re clear of these wires when you go up. If any of the cables are down, loose, or appear to be frayed, don’t take the risk, call a professional.
Make a Schedule
It’s true, cleaning the gutters is a chore most of us would prefer not to perform. However, regular cleaning and maintenance saves you from having to do a big cleaning due to a lack of effort on your part. Experts recommend a twice a year cleaning — once in the spring and once in the fall. You can set a reminder on your phone’s calendar app to notify you when it’s time to clean, but don’t be shy about getting up on the ladder every other month to make sure things are ok.
Get Gutter Guards
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and installing gutter guards goes a long way to keeping your gutters clog free and cuts down your cleaning and maintenance time. The investment will pay off nicely. Visit specialized sites on gutter repair and installation services to learn more about keeping your gutters clean.
