A house is a building structure that requires regular maintenance services if one wants to enjoy it for a long time. It is however easy to focus on indoors maintenance, as those are the parts we often see and notice when in need of repair.
However, the outdoors of any building should not be neglected either, and routine maintenance checks of both indoors and outdoors of the structure will ensure that any need for repairs are quickly addressed before they deteriorate.
In the outdoors, one of the places that are essential to look out for is gutters. Gutter cleaning is one of the recommended services for routine home improvement. If gutters become clogged, it can lead to roof damage, basement flooding which can lead to a mildew problem in the house, become home to pests, and make the house unsightly.
It can even affect the foundations in some cases. Gutter cleaning and repairs is not an easy job, however, as comments on review websites like reviewsbird.co.uk seem to agree on.
We have therefore compiled some tips to make cleaning and repairing your gutters a little bit easier.
Safety first
Since you’ll have to climb a ladder to access your gutters, you first have to be sure that you are not one to be scared of heights. Also, your gutter has to be stable and able to hold you securely as you move your hands to clean the area within your reach.
If you can get a ladder with four legs, the better for you. Ensure that the surface where you balance your ladder is even, not sloppy to avoid a fall. You’ll need to also consider where to put your cleaning tools as you work.
Choose the right tools
Gutters are mostly clogged with rotting leaves and organic debris, which means that cleaning them can get a little (or a lot) smelly and slimy. There is also the possibility of rodents in the gutters as you clean, or even some shrapnel getting lodged into the skin of your hands or under your nails.
You should wear some gloves and a long sleeve shirt to protect your arms, hands and fingers. Also, get your plastic scoop to remove the debris, and a bucket to scoop the debris in.
Check the rivets for replacement
After cleaning the gutters, you will be able to notice the pieces of metals used to put the gutters together have become dislodged. Known as rivets, these metal pieces need to be replaced so that the gutters will not spread water to parts of the yard where it isn’t required.
Make necessary repairs
Once you have cleaned out your gutters, it becomes easy to access the places that are sagging or dislodged. If the long piece of wood behind the gutters is intact, then repairs might be as simple as using nails, gutter spikes and fasteners to refasten the gutters.
If the long piece of wood is rotten or no longer strong, you might need the services of a handyman to make the repairs. You should also check the silicon sealing of your gutters to be sure that it is still strong and in place.
Future gutter concerns
Not everyone has the inclination or the time to clean their gutters. It is however not something to be taken for granted, as a little cleaning here and there will reduce future costs of repairs of not just the gutters, but other areas that might have been affected.
You can employ the services of a professional to cover your gutters with mesh, use porous foam or even clip-on grates to reduce the debris piling up.