6 Easy Steps to Keeping Your Gutters Clean All Winter Long

Clogged gutters can lead to expensive damage. Gutters should be inspected for small cracks, gaps between straight connectors and loosened hangers. Gutter cleaning is not a hard or technical job, but it must be done regularly. Follow these tips to keep your gutters clean all winter long. You’ll save time and money.

1. Inspect the Gutters

Gutters protect your home’s roof, foundation and basement from water damage. If they aren’t working properly, the results can be costly to repair.

Inspect your rain gutters from the ground or from a ladder to look for clogs, loose spikes or hangers, and misaligned sections. You can also check if the gutters have a sufficient slope by running a hose over them.

2. Check the Downspouts

Oftentimes, downspouts become clogged with leaves, twigs and other debris. During the winter, this can freeze and impede the flow of water, which can lead to a downspout ice dam.

If rainwater is unable to be carried away from the house, it will eventually damage the shingles, foundation and fascia boards. Checking the downspouts during cleaning helps prevent this damage from occurring.

3. Clean the Gutters

Cleaning the gutters is important to help keep water and melting snow flowing away from your house. This will prevent the formation of ice dams, which can cause expensive water damage to your roof and home.

Use a ladder to reach the gutters and remove debris from them. Wear heavy work gloves to protect your hands and rubber-soled shoes to avoid slips on the ladder.

4. Clean the Downspouts

Downspout clogs can cause water to push back against the siding and roof of the home, causing damage. This can be prevented by thoroughly flushing and unclogging gutters during the fall.

This is a dirty job, so be sure to wear rubber gloves and a dust mask. You will also need a ladder and a bucket or tarp to capture the gunk.

5. Inspect the Gutters for Leaks

Leaks in gutters can cause serious damage to the roof and foundation. Inspecting gutters regularly can help you catch problems before they cause major damage.

Set up a ladder in a safe location and practice ladder safety. Place a garden hose inside the gutter and ask someone on the ground to turn it on.

Watch as water flows through the gutter and down the downspout to identify any leaks. Make a note of any leaky areas and plan to caulk them as needed.

6. Clean the Downspouts for Leaks

Gutter downspouts must be free of clogs and debris in order to work properly. This can be an easy job as long as you use a ladder safely and have a good gutter cleaning tool, such as a scoop or a garden trowel.

A clean gutter system should not leak or pool water anywhere. If you do find leaks or pools, it’s time to make some gutter repair and maintenance.

RJ’s Gutter Cleaning
https://www.google.com/maps?cid=8798993793078699348
1841 Merrick Ave, Merrick, NY 11566
(516) 771-4950
https://longislandguttercleaning.com/