Gutter Cleaning

Here is a short video on a most exciting topic – gutter cleaning! Well, maybe not so exciting, unless you fail to set up your ladder properly. The video gives you some basic tips on ladder safety, gutter cleaning.

Some of the important points covered in the video are:

• Extension ladder ratio – maintain 4/1 ratio of ladder height to base distance
• Put your ladder away after use to prevent kids from climbing on it
• Use a 2×4 in your gutter to prevent damage from the ladder
• Use gloves when cleaning your gutters
• If you are using a power washer, remove the loose debris from your gutters first

Tags: extension ladder ratio, gutter cleaning, gutter pressure cleaner, gutter pressure washer, ladder safety, Orbit Fall Cleanup Wand, orbit gutter cleaner

It’s A Dirty Job!

I don’t wake up on Saturday mornings and get excited about cleaning gutters, but it is a job that needs to be done – sometimes several times each year. Proper gutter cleaning will help to minimize roofing cost, as well as prevent other problems with your home.

First, consider what gutters do; they direct rainwater away from your home. How much water do gutters direct away from the home? LOTS!! For example, a 1500 square foot roof will collect approximately 500 gallons of water during a rain event of 0.5 inches! So during a year of rainfall, your talking about thousands of gallons of water.

Thousands of gallons of water will cause all sorts of problems if it is not directed away from the home via clean gutters:

1) Standing water in gutters can seep into roofing edges and cause wood rot of the underlying roofing material.

2) Standing water in gutters can weigh down gutters and cause damage to the gutters and to the areas where the gutters are attached.

3) Standing water in gutters can cause rusting of the gutter material.

But wait – there’s more!

4) Water allowed to flow over clogged gutters can find it’s way onto house siding and cause eventual wood rot.

5) Water allowed to flow near the foundation can cause foundation damage.

6) Water allowed to flow near the perimeter of the home can cause damp, musty basements.

7) Water allowed to flow near the perimeter of the home can cause insect infestation due to high moisture accumulation.

I’m sure there are other problems I forgot to mention, but the point is that a lot of problems can be prevented just by spending a little bit of time and cleaning out your gutters.

Tags: damp basements, foundation damage, gutter cleaning, Roof Gutters, Roof Maintenance, roof water damage, Roofing Cost, siding damage