| By: Steven Briesemeister |
Gutter maintenance is a terrific way to preserve your roof and save yourself some money down the line with repairs, which could have otherwise been avoided with a little maintenance. Think of gutter maintenance as a preventative medicine for the structure of your roof. Gutter maintenance is an important step to maintaining your roof, your home and your budget.
The first step in gutter maintenance is to remove any and all debris, including leaves, twigs or other objects from your roof. Using a regular broom, walk around your home and sweep away any visible debris. Avoid walking directly on the roof as this is both dangerous to you, and also to the structure of the roof itself. You can get to those hard-to-reach spots by using a ladder. If you have a fear of heights, call a contractor or ask a friend to help you.
Once your roof is clear of debris, move on to inspecting the gutters. It’s inevitable that, everything from your roof, will probably make it’s way into the gutters. Look for leaves, twigs, rocks or anything that could cause damage and remove it carefully without applying any pressure to the gutters. If you are using a ladder for this process, don’t stretch to reach a certain spot. Climb down and move the ladder over, but never stretch beyond your reaching point as this could cause a serious fall.
Once you’ve completed this step of gutter maintenance, take a minute to examine the gutter fitting which connects to the downspout. Remove any debris to avoid clogging. If you do find any clogged areas, remove the debris immediately. The downspout should provide the water runoff with proper direction so that it drains away from your home. Water must be able to move freely through the gutter, the downspout and finally to the ground. If any part of the gutter or downspout becomes clogged, there is a potential for the weight of the water to cause damage.
Before finishing your gutter maintenance, make sure that you have checked the gutter supports and downspouts one last time. Once everything is cleaned, flush your gutters with water. Using a standard water hose, wash the roof and make sure that the water flows properly from the roof and through the gutters. This process is very important to make sure that everything is working properly. When completing this step, use a ladder if at all possible to avoid walking directly on the roof. As mentioned earlier, it is never a good idea to walk or stand on the roof itself. It is especially dangerous if the roof is wet, which will cause it to be slippery.
When you are completely through with your, remove any debris from your lawn along with any tools or other hardware that you used. It is extremely important to perform gutter maintenance on a regular basis to avoid future problems. The earlier that a clogged gutter or other problem is noticed, the lesser chance of having to spend a lot of money on expensive repairs. Take the time to prevent future problems - you will be glad that you did!
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Did you find what you were looking for? Check out these other articles for more roofing information:
The effects of improperly pitched gutters and the dire consequences of improperly pitched gutters.
Gutters and downspouts are available in many styles, colors, and materials. Prices vary greatly between the different types of materials.
The golden rule of roof maintenance is do it twice a year - once in autumn to prepare the roof for winter, and once in spring to survey the damage that harsh winter conditions rendered.
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