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With bitter cold weather slowly creeping in and winter just around the corner, homeowners need to start preparing their houses for the changing of the seasons.
One of those tedious tasks include cleaning out rain gutters, as the leaves and debris from trees tend to clog them this time of year.
PJ Walker, owner of Springhill Seamless Gutters in Milford, gave some tips on how to get this job done, a job he said should be done two to three times per year.
1. Safety first
If your gutters are too high to reach without a ladder, Walker said it’s important to make sure your ladder is either anchored to the roof or that someone is holding the ladder to steady it. He added that protective gloves and goggles should be worn because broken sticks or jagged pieces of a metal gutter could cause injury.
2. A multi-step process
To properly clean debris and leaves out of gutters, Walker suggested first removing the debris by hand and placing it in a garbage bag. After that, he said it’s best to use a garden hose and wash the gutters clean of all remaining leaves to make sure water can flow through the way it is supposed to.
3. Stay off the roof
Leaves are slippery, Walker said, so its best to avoid walking on the roof altogether. However, a problem can come up in that leaves could be in tough to reach places when standing on a ladder. Therefore, he said the best way to take care of that problem is to either use a leaf blower or broom to knock down those leaves.
4. Prevent damage
If you fail to clean your gutters they will not properly drain, Walker said, and that could cause a whole host of damage to the home. Gutters could overflow causing water damage to drywall and roofs, and if there is standing water in the gutter in the winter, it could freeze and the weight could tear them right down.
5. Think ahead
Cleaning gutters is no fun, Walker said, but there are ways to make the job easier. Screen and protection systems are sold for gutters that disallows leaves from entering but still allows water to flow in and drain. The screens range in price and quality, but he said its worth the investment if you want to avoid spending a few hours on a ladder each fall.
Email Brian Citino at brian.citino@doverpost.com
With bitter cold weather slowly creeping in and winter just around the corner, homeowners need to start preparing their houses for the changing of the seasons.
One of those tedious tasks include cleaning out rain gutters, as the leaves and debris from trees tend to clog them this time of year.
PJ Walker, owner of Springhill Seamless Gutters in Milford, gave some tips on how to get this job done, a job he said should be done two to three times per year.
1. Safety first
If your gutters are too high to reach without a ladder, Walker said it’s important to make sure your ladder is either anchored to the roof or that someone is holding the ladder to steady it. He added that protective gloves and goggles should be worn because broken sticks or jagged pieces of a metal gutter could cause injury.
2. A multi-step process
To properly clean debris and leaves out of gutters, Walker suggested first removing the debris by hand and placing it in a garbage bag. After that, he said it’s best to use a garden hose and wash the gutters clean of all remaining leaves to make sure water can flow through the way it is supposed to.
3. Stay off the roof
Leaves are slippery, Walker said, so its best to avoid walking on the roof altogether. However, a problem can come up in that leaves could be in tough to reach places when standing on a ladder. Therefore, he said the best way to take care of that problem is to either use a leaf blower or broom to knock down those leaves.
4. Prevent damage
If you fail to clean your gutters they will not properly drain, Walker said, and that could cause a whole host of damage to the home. Gutters could overflow causing water damage to drywall and roofs, and if there is standing water in the gutter in the winter, it could freeze and the weight could tear them right down.
5. Think ahead
Cleaning gutters is no fun, Walker said, but there are ways to make the job easier. Screen and protection systems are sold for gutters that disallows leaves from entering but still allows water to flow in and drain. The screens range in price and quality, but he said its worth the investment if you want to avoid spending a few hours on a ladder each fall.
Email Brian Citino at brian.citino@doverpost.com
